LITTLE MISS WESTIE
Facing the judges wearing her brother's hand-me-downs
Little Miss Westie chronicles a year in the life of two transgender siblings as they navigate puberty, a local beauty pageant, and transitioning in the Trump era.
WINNER Best Documentary Jury Award, Out Shine Film Festival, 2019
WINNER Festival Favorite, Cinema Diverse Palm Springs LBGTQ+ Film Festival, 2019
WINNER The Telly Awards, Bronze
"This film will not only change lives...it will save them"
- Tony Ferraiolo,
Author & Trans Youth Advocate
"Little Miss Westie has the power to remind everyone of the complexities of each person’s gender identity.
The film has already inspired viewers to think more deeply - and compassionately - about trans individuals.”
- Women in Hollywood
“An incredibly relevant film after The New York Times article just exposed that the government wants to define gender as determined by their anatomy at birth eliminating all the protections afforded to the transgender people by the Obama administration.
You really see how these children flourish. It's a
beautiful portrait of this group of humans that are in this family.”
- Ruth Somalo, DOC NYC on NPR
The film
Little Miss Westie follows two transgender siblings as they navigate puberty, school, family and transitioning during the Trump era. Ren is competing in the Lil Miss Westie Pageant; her older brother Luca is coaching her on posing, make-up, and talent. He knows his stuff because he competed six years ago when he was living as a girl. Moving and unflinching, Little Miss Westie challenged basic ideas about gender, while entertaining audiences as this tween and teen bicker, struggle, and compete while coming of age.
This past year has been a rollercoaster ride for the family. Ren and Luca both began actively transitioning. Ren began dressing full time as female and had a puberty blocker surgically implanted. Luca primarily dresses male but insists on a more gender fluid style, sometimes wearing lots of pink and jewelry. Just recently, Luca began testosterone treatment.
Horrified at the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election, the family scrambled to legally change the kid’s names and gender on their documents. It was a complicated process involving a court hearing but they managed to get everything done before Trump was inaugurated. Now that he and Pence are in office, the family worry about what hostile actions the administration will take against the transgender community and how that will impact the safety of their kids.
Amidst all of this change for the family, Ren has chosen to compete in the Lil Miss Westie Pageant with Luca as coach. Local contestants, ranging from toddlers to eighth graders, showcase their makeup and gowns, talent, and community spirit. The dynamic between the two siblings as they ready Ren for competition confronts gender norms in a wonderfully entertaining and organic way. The preparation, rehearsals, and pageant itself provide the film’s vibrant narrative spine. Whether she wins or loses, this experience will change the family forever offering a rare window into the lives of two very young gender pioneers.
