“Call Me Malcolm” is 90-minute feature-length documentary following a twenty-five year-old seminary student as he explores faith, love, and gender identity. It was developed by the United Church of Christ, Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns and released in 2005.

There are two study guides to accompany the film. At this point the entire film is available on YouTube, making it a super-accessible resource for personal reflection or group study.

One-Session Study Guide: UCC_callmemalcolm_short
Six-Session Study Guide: UCC_callmemalcolmtext

Buy the DVD: from UCC Resources

One of the challenges of “transgender education” is the persistent need to move beyond terms and definitions to present not just one prototypical transgender experience, but to represent a diversity of experience. While Call Me Malcolm follows Malcolm Himschoot, a white, transgender man, it also manages to weave together a variety of additional perspectives and experiences through encounters that Malcolm has with other mentors and advisors.

• Dr Tink Tinker, talking about gender in Native American perspective
• Matt Kailey, leading a support group for trangender men
• Pauline Mitchell, the mother of hate crime victim, Fred Martinez
• Calpernia Addams, actress whose story appears in “Soldier’s Girl”
• Major Griffin-Gracy, transgender activist and elder
• Stephan Thorne, transgender police officer

The film also includes Malcolm’s pastor, friends, former high school teacher, family, and fiance.

As the film follows Malcolm through various encounters and shares his personal reflections, we are given a wealth of both theological perspective as well as personal insight into the process of social, legal, and medical gender transition.

Call Ma Malcolm was a major accomplishment in terms of representation for transgender people of faith during the “transgender spring” and remains a great resource.

ALSO: More Trans and Religious curriculum ideas

Compiled by Mx. Chris Paige on September 4, 2019.

Note: This blog is intended to be an on-going work in progress. Please contact us if you have corrections or are able to contribute further context or reflections.