House Not Home

Gr 7 Up—This short film chronicles the struggles of gender-fluid African American teen Terran (played by Cyle Black). Terran begins to wear feminine clothing to school and is faced with violence from classmates and arguments with their father. Meanwhile, Terran is involved as a friend and mentor in an online community of trans youth. Written by 16-year-old high school student Skyler Edge, the 15-minute piece focuses on the complicated, diverse face of trans identity, as opposed to the commonly seen gender expressions in media. Definitions surrounding gender nonconformity (also called gender variance) are presented clearly and accessibly by characters of various gender presentations, all of whom are portrayed with sensitivity and realism. Particularly important is that preferred pronouns, an increasingly common topic, are covered. The terms and topics presented are clearly laid out in the provided lesson plan, which presents a well-rounded approach to introducing and exploring the complicated issue of gender identity.