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On Transition and Family: The Story of Kade Collins
JUST CALL ME KADE was recently awarded Honorable Mention by the National Council on Family Relations Annual Media Awards Competition in the Category of Sexuality & Sex Role Development. It is also Frameline’s number two most requested half-hour documentary of 2002. This compelling short is the story of Kade Collins, born Kate Farlow, and his transition from female to male beginning at age fifteen. Frameline spoke with Kade Collins, and the director of Just Call Me Kade, Sam Zolten, about the making of Just Call Me Kade and educating the public on transgender issues.
FRAMELINE: How did you two meet?
KADE COLLINS: Sam knew my mother. They were childhood next door neighbors. When they reunited as adults, mom told Sam about me. Sam was starting a film career, and he thought my transition would make an interesting documentary.
SAM ZOLTEN: I had previously done support work on docs about people who were challenged by their medical situations—docs, for example, about catastrophically-injured people—to raise consciousness. I never imagined the segue to working with Kade.
F: What was your reaction, Kade, to having your life revealed in front of a camera?
KC: At first I thought it was strange—that my transition would be a big enough deal for a film, but when I thought about the lack of information out there, I thought the film would be a really good idea.
F: Because there is a lack of information, where did you get your information?
KC: From the internet and a support group in Tucson: Wingspan.
SZ: The vast majority of people don’t know about gender transition. I’m a parent and as a parent I wanted to capture what Kade’s transition would be for the entire family; Just Call Me Kade is about the impact on the family not just the individual. As a friend of the family, I’ve known Kade since he was 3 or 4 years old. I was interested in this story from knowing this family. I made Just Call Me Kade without even wondering who would see it, and then Frameline came along.
F: Yes, we saw the doc when it was submitted for completion funding. It’s extremely valuable to see films at this stage so you can help guide the maker to certain choices before the work is complete. Once a film is finished, it’s too late or too expensive to make changes. Sam, you were great about accepting feedback. What kind of research went into making Just Call Me Kade?
SZ: Colleen Collins, Kade’s mom, was enormously helpful. She did the research in an effort to be helpful to Kade. Colleen deserves a lot of credit, just for being receptive and making the effort as a parent to help her child make the transition and find the resources to do so. As loaded with information as Just Call Me Kade is, the shooting happened just over two weekends. It was Colleen who really filled in the blanks. Buzz Farlow, Kade’s dad, was also willing to participate. Colleen and Buzz were really in harmony regarding their supportiveness of Kade.
F: How effective do you think Just Call Me Kade is towards helping others?
KC: It’s good because it’s informative and also shows a positive outcome, where most of the media portrays trans people as sad people who never live happily. Just Call Me Kade shows that someone receiving support can live happily.
F: You can say that for just about anyone, in fact. Anyone receiving support from their family would be happy. In so many ways, this is more than just a story about transitioning. This is a story about family.
SZ: Now that Just Call Me Kade is out, I’ve been amazed by the response. It’s been heartening to meet the audiences. I’ve met all kinds of LGBT people and they’ve all said there’s a lot of misunderstanding and a great need for information. A Miami lesbian I met found out her partner was trans. This for her jeopardized the relationship. Seeing Just Call Me Kade helped her to see what her partner felt, and she thanked me. I haven’t heard negative responses, but some people who I thought were liberal demonstrated ignorance that disturbed me. Still, the piece expanded their consciousness.
F: Did you ever think that the film would go so far?
KC: No. I thought it would be used as a teaching tool but I didn’t expect it on national television or at film festivals.
F: How has this affected your life?
SZ: I’ve become an advocate of expanding others’ thinking. I’ve always tried not to label people. Now I’m in a position where I have to get in front of groups of people and talk about being "different" and being "normal." The title Just Call Me Kade comes from the recognition that it’s so easy for people to label each other. Someone in Philadelphia told me: American people are judged by their sexuality; people are quick to judge others based on what they think about their sexual acts rather than the love between two people. It is paramount to be aware of this—that the sex act is not what this is about; I think Just Call Me Kade is a story about love and empowerment and being proud of who you are.
F: Kade, do you get recognized?
KC: I got recognized in San Francisco after the film screened there, and I get recognized in Tucson, where I live. At first I was concerned about this but now I’m happy that Just Call Me Kade has gotten so big to the point that people recognize me. This shows that a lot of people have seen it and that’s good because the message is important.
F: Have you ever been concerned for your safety?
KC: I was concerned at first, but I’ve had no major negative reactions.
SZ: I was very up front with Kade about the potential for being a public figure. Kade always seemed comfortable with it. Though Kade is shy, there are elements of Kade’s public side that come out in the doc; for example on the cable access show he and his friend, Gentry, produced. Kade is an advocate. I don’t think he can help this. But Kade always gets right to the core of things—he’s a person of few words. During taping it seemed like many times that Kade was the adult and the adults were the children.
F: Kade, do you see yourself as an activist?
KC: Yes.
F: Does everyone at school know you’re transgender?
KC: It’s well known. A lot of people know me as "that trans kid." I’m comfortable with that. My friends and I are planning on a forum for queer students at school this year, my senior year.
F: Kade, you’re also interested in filmmaking, is that right?
KC: Yeah, I was interested in it even before we began making the documentary and so I started taking classes.
F: What do you want people to take away when they watch Just Call Me Kade?
SZ: Just Call Me Kade was created to help families deal with their children being transgender. It demystifies the process, the labels. Look, ten percent of the United States population is not straight. That’s a lot of people. This is why it is important to accept people—people we pray with, play with, work with, etcetera. No one should have to live in fear. It’s not healthy. I want educators to find ways in schools to provide diversity education. I’ve seen other programs on this topic. No one could be critical of this program in terms of it being inflammatory. The information is easily assimilated and necessary. My son in law told me that after seeing the video it made him "smile and skip." And he’s straight. Just Call Me Kade gets people to open up to that which is different.
F: What’s next?
SZ: We’re working on a sequel. Over Thanksgiving 2001, Kade elected to have mastectomy surgery with a doctor in San Francisco, Dr. Brownstein. Kade’s family called me to continue the documentary. I didn’t want to approach this as a voyeur but the family told me, "Sam, your attendance is imperative; it’s important for this to be validated." Kade is a work-in-progress. As Kade matures I’ll be there with camera in hand. Every time we get together I learn something new. Kade has developed a following. Kade wants to go into psychology and become a filmmaker. He wants to work with families and other youth who are on the same path. I’m happy to be a part of this.
[Ed. Note: to request an interview or public appearance by Sam Zolten or Kade Collins, send details to Desi del Valle, Distribution Director at desi@frameline.org.]
