Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1359892
29 S P R I N G Q 1 I S S U E C O V E R S T O R Y being my true self in this industry. It was always hurtful when people would talk to me about my choice of attire and that I needed to change to be taken more seriously in the entertainment industry. I never asked for people's opinions. Each new film or show I worked on typ- ically had a few people that just didn't respect or trust me because I was trans and/or non-binary. T h r o u g h t h e y e a r s , w o r k f l o w problems and situations came up in post-production from time to time. If there was tension amongst editors or producers over technical issues regard- ing a scene or shot, the crosshairs would typically land on me when I was assisting, placing blinded blame for random techni- cal issues with footage or sound, which in the majority of instances had nothing to do with me directly. Many productions are grossly mis- managed from top to bottom. Editors and assistant editors know that problems on set get passed on to post production. It is part of the job. A few years, ago I was editing on a show when a new post-production supervisor came on board. I was midway through the producer notes phase of my episodes. Word got back to me that the post-production supervisor was uncom- fortable with me and would talk behind my back. Their homophobic and trans- phobic chatter would take place after I left at the end of the work day. We can't always pick who we end up working with in post production. I typ- ically take most gigs that come my way because living in Los Angeles is far from affordable and I need every job I can get. Over the last several years we are finally seeing more transgender repre- sentation in the content being produced. Every time a transgender actor or actress is cast, it helps spread awareness and acceptance around the world. The same goes for post-production as well. I h o p e my s to r y a n d ex p e r i e n ce s can help others stand up and become stronger and have the courage to be themselves without fear or anxiety. We should not feel that we have to look down or away when people look at us. I have done this over the years as I would hear people commenting under their breath. I did not want to socially engage any more than I needed to outside of what was expected of me on the job. I did not want to make any waves that would jeopardize any future opportunities. The transgender community deserves the same respect that anyone else in this industry receives. As long as we believe in ourselves and we stay true to our- selves, success will follow. Other people's fear and misunder- standing will begin to fade away as we all do our part in being VISIBLE. Trans- gender union members should not be treated any differently than any other union member. It's important that we allow people to see us for who we are. We are not going away, that's for sure. We have stories to tell. Let our creativity flow! I look forward to all the amazing stories yet to be told by our community through film and television and to work- ing with more LGBTQ+ content makers in 2021. ■ Stevie Waichulis is a Film Editor. In 2020, she and her film partner Jason Rutherford distributed their film "SHHHH" (www.darksidereleasing. com), which was an official selection at Beyond Fest. In 2021, they are releasing a definitive documentary on Grindhouse cinema called "Masters of the Grind." P H O T O : I N S T A G R A M