The Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen series will host a free public showing of “Austin Unbound,” a documentary about a man who is both deaf and transgender, on Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the Handwerker Gallery.The Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen series will host a free public showing of “Austin Unbound,” a documentary about a man who is both deaf and transgender, on Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the Handwerker Gallery.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with Eliza Greenwood, who produced and directed the documentary; and Connor Gills, a deaf and transgender community organizer, who will provide insight into the film, its themes and the filmmaking process.
Austin, who was born deaf, had struggled with feeling burdened by his female anatomy all his life. The film follows Austin and his best friend on a road trip to finally undergo a double-mastectomy. Unbound at last, Austin is eager to get on with life. His journey is an inspiration to his community and beyond as he shares his intimate insights with self-awareness and humor.
Filmmaker Eliza Greenwood is a hearing Sibling of a Deaf American (SODA) and was one of a handful of hearing students to attend Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts college for the deaf and hard-of-hearing in the world. Her experiences working in and promoting deaf theatre at Gallaudet and other venues led her to found Greensoda Productions.
Connor Gillis has trained over 700 teachers, students, doctors and professional staff members on LGBTQ topics. He worked with Lambda Legal and teamed with Drago Renteria to assist with the creation of Planet DeafQueer, an online website devoted to the intersection of the deaf and queer communities.
The Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen series is sponsored by the Ithaca College Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services. For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu/lgbt.
Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Luca Maurer at lmaurer@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-7394. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20140403230123124