‘Disclosure’: Transgender Representation in Media

Mona Sinha ’88 and Sam Feder—executive producer and director, respectively, of the Netflix documentary “Disclosure”—will discuss their film, and transgender depictions in media more broadly, in a Presidential Colloquium at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 2.

The virtual event is open to the public at no charge, and no tickets are required. Members of the campus community are invited to participate via Zoom; members of the general public may join via a livestream on Smith’s Facebook page. 

About “Disclosure”

A Netflix original documentary, “Disclosure” examines transgender depictions in film and television, revealing how Hollywood simultaneously reflects and manufactures society’s deepest anxieties about gender. Leading trans thinkers—including Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Mj Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton and Chaz Bono—share their reactions and resistance to some of Hollywood’s most beloved moments. Grappling with films like “A Florida Enchantment,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Crying Game” and “Boys Don’t Cry”—and with television shows including “The Jeffersons,” “The L-Word” and “Pose”—“Disclosure” traces the long, complex history of transgender representations across a range of media.

About Mona Sinha ’88

Mona Sinha ’88 is executive producer of “Disclosure.” A dedicated advocate for and investor in gender justice, Sinha is the board chair of Women Moving Millions and the ERA Fund for Women’s Equality. A trustee emerita of Smith College, she also serves on the boards of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Let’s Breakthrough and the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, she is on the advisory boards of the Social Enterprise Program at Columbia Business School and their investment committee, the Columbia Global Mental Health Program/WHO collaboration, and the American Museum of Natural History. In 2015, she was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for her contribution to women’s leadership and education.

About Sam Feder

Cited by Indiewire as one of the “exciting trans filmmakers shaking up Hollywood,” Sam Feder makes films that explore legacy, conflict and futures within the queer and trans communities while working toward higher ethical standards in filmmaking. Feder’s films have been programmed by film festivals around the world, including Sundance and the Tribeca Film Festival. “Kate Bornstein Is a Queer and Pleasant Danger,” about trans icon Kate Bornstein, was named one of the best documentaries of 2014 by The Advocate and earned multiple awards, including the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism. “Disclosure” is Feder’s most recent film.

About Smith’s Presidential Colloquium Series

The Presidential Colloquium regularly features influential thought leaders in a wide range of fields—from poets and writers to economists and policy experts—to share their expertise, offer insights and inspire discourse on key social, political and global topics that call for our attention. Lectures are free and open to the public.

This year’s upcoming Presidential Colloquia will feature attorney/activist Bryan Stevenson and political philosopher Michael Sandel, among others. All events are virtual in 2021 and are open to the public at no charge; details and registration information are available online.