She also, as the title suggests, writes. Up close, they were just people who Im now proud to call friends. Some people watching this might say, What the heck is going on here? Couric says during the two-hour special as she sits down with several students at Yale University. Theres good news, though, for educators who wish to use the documentary to help spark local conversations about gender-identity issues. Couric even admits at the outset that she was hesitant to accept the changing definitions of gender. And yes, I asked her a highly offensive question about her private parts. When the show was being edited to air on a later date, I asked the producers to keep the offensive question in so others could realize, with the help of another guest on that same show Laverne Cox how grossly insensitive it was. Lots of documentaries use voiceovers and professionals to fill in the gaps, to explain to the audience whats going on, or perhaps to outline historical significance of one event or another. Try logging in through your library or institution to get access to these tools. But the more I saw gender issues becoming increasingly front and center in the news, the more I realized there was so much I didnt understand. Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, airing tonight on the National Geographic channel, is a two-hour documentary that explores how gender is defined, formed, and influenced by science, society, and self - making it an excellent companion to National Geographic magazine's January . Even the basics are dealt with in Gender Revolution: the difference between sex and gender, the fact that your genitalia doesnt dictate your sexual orientation nor your gender, and even the biological beginnings of a human embryo in the womb are analyzed since there is some scientific evidence that hormone exposure or brain structure may play a part in ones gender identity. The Gender Revolution: A Journey With Katie Couric premiered February 6 on the National Geographic Channel. Since then, Couric has grown immensely, and considers her mistake a highly teachable moment for those who dont know much about transgender people. If you log in through your library or institution you might have access to this article in multiple languages. February 6, 2017. In this companion podcast, Katie and Brian dive deep with the Fords and two others . For the younger generation, including Courics own college-age daughter, it seems accepted that gender definition is a more fluid concept. On a January 2014 episode of her ABC daytime talk show Katie, the veteran TV journalist famously came under fire for asking transgender. Egyptians lash out at Netflixs depiction, Dylan Mulvaney speaks out on Bud Light controversy: Dehumanization has never fixed anything, Occupied! Not enough gender-neutral washrooms on Montreal campuses: advocates, A more tolerant country? Educators and organizations can also sign up for a free DVD and discussion guide here. years announces that he wants to be a woman? What happens if you file late? I think if we can make it through these next four years, we might be able to see that. Now we have "Gender Revolution: A Journey With Katie Couric," a National Geographic documentary co-produced by World of Wonder. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Couric provides an answer. She also meets a family who chose not to surgically alter their intersex child, leaving her with the opportunity to make her own determinations about her gender as she ages. In this clip from the beginning of the film, she talks with author Sam Killerman about some basic terminology like sexual orientation and gender identity: From there, Couric crisscrosses the country to explore intersex and transgender identities by talking to the people best equipped to talk about them: intersex and transgender people. But I tried to use it as a teachable moment, and to show people there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to have these conversations. That way, others like Katie Couric who think this all happened so fast can get more answers. It is a fraught conversation, and we thought, if we put it out there, not just about transgender, but looking at gender in the broadest spectrum, and help people have that conversation, that maybe we could do something that is enlightening and educational, and thats what National Geographic is all about., READ MORE:A more tolerant country? But it would be nice to hear whats on the mind of those, say, who have fears about transgender people showing up in their restrooms. That scientists are just beginning to understand the biological factors that contribute to gender identity. takes us on a unique journey - from birth to death - to discover the dynamics The story also misstated the topic of Courics discussion with Yale University students. For some people, its too much to handle. Throughout the film, Couric summons people who have questions, a tactic often used by mainstream media to justify asking ignorant or invasive questions. Hide full disclaimer, Select results items first to use the cite, email, save, and export options. Katie Couric is an ideal guide There are multiple reasons why Couric is the perfect person to host . For full access: Watch Now Details Transcript You are watching a sample version. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Students explore pathways to intercultural awareness and develop strategies to bridge cultural barriers. Back in 2014, Katie Couric got herself into a bit of trouble. Fox opens up about Parkinsons progression: I wont be 80. When I saw Gavin Grimm, whose case is scheduled to go before the Supreme Court on March 28th, he told me he liked the film, but added, I wish you hadnt said I was born a girl. The person I was before making this film might have said, Dont be ridiculous! The person I have become understands how hurtful such a description can be. This hour, TED speakers explore how birds, bees and bugs multiply. Katie Couric's new special on transgender identity, "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric," airs Monday night on National Geographic If you have questions about gender identity, a topic that's increasingly part of the public conversation, Katie Couric understands. Newsroom| I tried to put myself in the position of people who wanted to learn and understand these issues, and to ask the questions I thought people at home would be asking if they had the privilege and opportunity to meet some of the people you see here., WATCH BELOW: Katie Couric talks Gender Revolution. The information presented is well-balanced and does not advocate any particular side whatsoever leaving the viewer to make up their own mind based on the facts presented. From National Geographic Channel Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric is a special two-hour documentary on the shifting landscape of gender. Brian, an adult intersex person, spoke about his experience as a young child and how his parents' decisions continue to affect his life today. They were brave and generous, and greeted my curiosity and at times, ignorance with kindness and yes, patience. Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric. Journeys in Film created a guide that can help parents and educators better understand and discussthe meaning of gender. Contact Us. Those exist in Gender Revolution, but to a far lesser extent, instead allowing the voices of intersex, non-binary, trans and other gender non-conformists to tell their own stories. Viewpoints are taken from parents of children with gender dysphoria, children with the condition as well as adults and teenagers with the condition. National Geographic's documentary "Gender Revolution," narrated by Katie Couric, takes viewers on a journey to explore the evolving concept of gender. Intersex people are not alone. Press enter to open the dropdown list, then press tab and enter to choose the language. Girls played house, boys played sports. "Many people livetheir lives in secrecy or never really acton their feelings of gender identity, so I don't really know if we know their true number, she says. Its all happening so fast, she says to one interviewee. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/Na. And in a media landscape that employs sound bites and tweets to inform us on a whole array of topics, I thought it was important to take a deep dive. One enjoyable aspect of the special is that the always effervescent Couric doesnt just sit down and interview her subjects one chair facing another. What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? In "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric," an hour and half long TV documentary produced by National Geographic, Couric "sets out to explore the rapidly evolving complexities of gender identity.". Students makesocial boundary maps of thedivisionsin their communitiesand discuss ways to cross them. Transport your students from the classroom to the frontiers of exploration through live video conversations with National Geographic Explorers. The translations are automatically generated "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" and are not retained in our systems. Then they choose a metaphor that represents todays diverse cultural landscape. What are the biological underpinnings? As the parents of a transgender daughter, Vanessa and JR are at the epicenter of today's changing terrain when it comes to gender. But Im grateful to everyone I met along the way. "Weve often viewed gender non-conforming people in a way that sees them as such anomalies that weve other-ized them," she says. Culture is the learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods. Broadcasting legend Katie Couric (former co-host of NBC's Today, CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent) takes us on a unique journey to discover the dynamics and complexities of gender in our world. Throughout the course of Gender Revolution: A Journey With Katie Couric, the journalist visits with different families, activists, and medical professionals who share their stories and use the . There is an incredible variety of gender identities out there in the world, and its astounding to have your eyes opened to the possibility of a non-binary gender system. I often wondered, why cant they be more patient as we grapple with this new normal? Description. Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, airs at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central on the National Geographic Channel.