Becoming Johanna

Streaming video - 2016

When Johanna, a 16-year-old transgender Latina, begins her transition and gets kicked out of her home and school, she finds a foster family who loves her and a supportive school principal who helps her graduate and thrive. How does it feel when your mom prays everyday for you to be someone else? That's the struggle Johanna, a 16 year old transgender Latina faces. At first her mom thinks she's confused, or joking, but as Johanna's transformation continues, her mom simply can't handle the fact that her son is Becoming Johanna. After prayer doesn't change anything, Johanna's mom tries therapists and a mental hospital in her quest to "fix" her daughters gender identity. While she was born a boy, Johanna i...s a young woman on the inside and nothing but living a lie can change that. Becoming Johanna is a compelling story that follows the struggles transgender teens face every day. In the end, Johanna refuses to let her mother's rejection define her life and she continues the journey toward becoming comfortable in her own skin. Johanna's story is as beautiful as she is, and will leave you hopeful that we can build communities that accept all of our children just the way they are. more