ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
In 2016 Commander Shilling was at the height of her privilege. Annoyed with DEI and woke rhetoric, she celebrated Trump’s triumph. Nine years later she is the most senior ranking openly trans Naval aviator, months from her pension, and leading thousands of other troops in the battle against the impending devastating ban.
SYNOPSIS
In the first days of his current presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order barring transgender people from enlisting and serving openly in the military, stating that being trans “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle” and “is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.” For Commander Emily Shilling, call sign “Hawking” because she’s Steven Hawking smart, this order is more than an insult. It’s a call to another mission.
After 19 years of service, over 60 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and numerous commendations, Emily’s distinguished career is unassailable. Despite her clearly demonstrated merit, she is being terminated just shy of her full pension.
She joined the Navy to be part of a “Global Force for Good,” dedicating herself to protecting the American people and our way of life. Now, as president of SPARTA, the nation’s leading organization for transgender military service members, she fights for the thousands of troops who swore the same oath, only to be told they are unfit and unwelcome. In a nation that has turned its back on them, she stands unwavering, defending their right to serve, to protect the country they love, and to live their truth without fear.
Filmed in DC over the days leading up to Trump’s inauguration and the first wave of his executive orders, we feature Commander Shilling at work and at home, explore her political evolution, and poke fun at the absurd notion that she isn’t fit to serve.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Jen Rainin & Rivkah Beth Medow
PRODUCER Rivkah Beth Medow & Jen Rainin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Zackary Drucker
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