“Trans Cabaret” is half hour long “edutainment” cabaret of sketches about “all things trans”, performed by members of the trans community for the purposes of bringing “translightenment to the masses”. The video also goes behind the scenes to show the performers coping with being homeless, dealing with transphobia in the shelter system, telling parents about being trans and dealing with abusive partners. During the cabaret the performers rehearse tongue-in-cheek sketches by “characters” in the cabaret. The video demonstrates through the cabaret an open attitude about the basics of gender reassignment surgery, gender identities and orientations, the myths and realities of being transgendered. The video also includes still photos and video footage from the first Trans Human Rights March in Toronto in 2009 as part of the story line, one of the main characters is deeply involved in organizing the march. “Trans Cabaret” is also a “do-it-yourself” homage to one of my favorite films, “Cabaret” a film that was seminal in my queer youth searching for a voice, representation and an art form to tell my stories.
