WORLD Channel Celebrates Pride Month With Slate Of Films Spotlighting LGBTQ Community

WORLD Channel will commemorate Pride Month with 25 films that examine the complex fight for LGBTQ acceptance and acknowledgment. Documenting stories from the Stonewall uprising in 1969 to the challenges faced by present-day transgender siblings navigating puberty, school and dating, the curation of films in June exemplifies the strides the LGTBQ community has made in fighting for equality while reminding us of the challenges still ahead.

WORLD shares stories of resilience, understanding and acceptance, through the eyes of members of the LGBTQ community or those supporting their efforts. In Denial: The Dad That Wanted to Save the World, Dave Hallquist presents as a chainsaw-wielding, hard hat-wearing CEO in a male-dominated industry, while in his personal life, he feels more like a woman. In P.O.V: Memories of a Penitent Heart, Miguel Dieppa is known to his New York friends as a freedom-loving gay thespian yet is seen by his family as an obedient son who downplays his sexuality.

"WORLD Channel endeavors to provide a place for all audiences to feel heard, accepted and valued. In June, we accomplish this goal by showcasing the compelling stories and rich history of the LGBTQ community and its allies," said Chris Hastings, Executive Producer and Editorial Manager for WORLD Channel at WGBH Boston.

New LGBTQ Pride Month films:

● AMERICA REFRAMED Little Miss Westie provides a loving and insightful portrait of two transgender siblings - Luca and Ren - and their parents, set in the changing social climate following the 2016 presidential election. Little Miss Westie takes audiences behind the scenes as THE FAMILY navigates puberty, school, dating and more as the children begin living in their authentic genders and Ren participates in the Lil' Miss Westie Pageant.
Premieres Tuesday, June 16, at 8pm ET/9pm PT on WORLD Channel

● Pacific Heartbeat: Born This Way--Awa's Story/The Rogers
Born This Way: Awa's Story follows THE JOURNEY of Te Awarangi 'Awa' Puna, an openly transgender Maori teen attending her final year at Kapiti College in Wellington, New Zealand, as she journeys from male to female, showcasing the support of her family and the hurdles she must overcome.

• The Rogers is an intimate glimpse into the lives of those who formed the first visible group of transgender men in the Pacific Islands - The Rogers of Samoa - as they build an outside oven, seek romance and prepare to perform a traditional men's dance in public. While still facing many obstacles, their stories illustrate the power that emanates when those rejected by society create their own community.
Premieres Monday, June 15, at 8 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT on WORLD Channel

● Doc World: Unsettled reveals the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers who have fled intense persecution from their home countries and who are settling in the U.S. The film follows four new arrivals, each of whom have escaped harm in their native countries for being different, as they build a new life despite the challenge of U.S. government agencies, which continue to restrict immigrants and drastically cut the flow of refugees and asylum seekers.
Premieres Sunday, June 28, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on WORLD Channel

For a more detailed list of the LGBTQ Pride-themed documentaries broadcasting on WORLD Channel, click https://bit.ly/WC_PRIDE. For more films and archival content, visit www.wgbh.org/pride.

Follow WORLD Channel on Facebook and Twitter for updates on all series/films coming up. For a complete list of original WORLD Channel programming, visit www.WORLDchannel.org/.

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