Release Year: 2014
Synopsis:
Transmormon (2014), a short documentary directed by Torben Bernhard, explores the complex journey of Eri Hayward, a young transgender woman from Orem, Utah, who grew up within the confines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The 15-minute film provides an intimate glimpse into Eri's life, focusing not only on her gender transition but also on her family dynamics, her Mormon upbringing, and the spiritual and emotional challenges she faced as she navigated the intersection of faith, identity, and societal expectations.
At the heart of Transmormon is the tension between Eri’s identity as a transgender woman and the teachings of the LDS Church, which has historically maintained rigid views on gender and sexuality. Raised as a devout Mormon, Eri faced immense internal conflict when she realized that the gender she was assigned at birth did not align with her true sense of self. As a young child, Eri confided in her father, Ed Hayward, expressing a desire to be a girl. At the time, Ed assumed this was just a phase, as many parents might do when faced with such confessions from their children. However, as Eri grew older, the disconnect between her assigned male gender and her inner identity deepened, leading to feelings of confusion and frustration.
