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Trans director Sam Feder's latest documentary "Increased Examination" offers a compelling two-part perspective – both an intimate portrait of a prominent transgender activist and a critical analysis of journalistic coverage surrounding transgender rights.

Legal Struggle at the Highest Court

This feature follows ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio as he gets ready for oral arguments in the landmark highest court case US v Skirmetti. These proceedings happened in December 2024, with the court finally deciding in support of Tennessee's argument, practically enabling bans on healthcare for transgender minors to stay in place across multiple US states.

We produced Heightened Scrutiny in just 16 months, stated Feder during an interview. Meanwhile, my previous film Disclosure took me five years, so this was a real push. Our purpose was to generate discussion so people would know more about the case.

Personal Story Amid Legal Struggle

Although Feder presents a thorough critique of how major news organizations have disseminated anti-trans rhetoric, the film's most valuable achievement may be its captivating portrayal of Strangio. Typically a measured lawyer in public settings, Strangio reveals his humanity throughout the production.

This represented a major challenge, to open up parts of my life to a documentary crew that I had strived to keep private, shared Strangio. Feder said he wanted younger people to know that we tried, to see what was done in defense of these struggles for our material survival.

Diverse Perspectives in the Movement

To support Strangio's account, Feder incorporates multiple trans voices, such as prominent leaders from journalism and the arts. This production also includes insights from cisgender supporters who analyze how mainstream media outlets have participated to negative portrayals of transgender people.

The experience of trans minors key to the legal case is illustrated through a remarkable young girl named Mila. Viewers first see her advocating for her fellow students at a school board meeting, with subsequent scenes showing her protesting for trans rights outside the highest court.

Personal Moments Beyond the Courtroom

Heightened Scrutiny also contains touching moments where Feder transcends the ongoing political struggle, including sequences of Strangio vacationing in Italy and getting a body art featuring verses from civil rights leader Pauli Murray's poem "Prediction."

The tattoo sequence is one of my most cherished sections in the movie, stated Strangio. Being tattooed is almost like a reflective experience for me, to be fully present in my body and to consider it as a vessel for things that are meaningful to me.

Body Identity and Representation

Feder's dedication to carefully showing Strangio getting to his body art underscores that this documentary is fundamentally about transgender physical selves – not only those of youth who confront restriction of their ability to live truly in their own bodies, but also the bodies of the many participants who appear in the film.

I create films with a meaning, and part of that is selecting people who are outstanding and eloquent enough to carry the camera, shared Feder. When people ask me what they should wear for an filming, my answer is anything that makes you feel hot. This is important to me – as transgender individuals, we struggle so much with our self-perception.

Impact and Hope

A key element that makes Feder's films shine is his clear talent for making his transgender participants feel at ease, acknowledged and valued. This technique creates real rapport between Feder and Strangio, allowing the filmmaker to accomplish his goal of showing Strangio as a complete person and leaving a record for posterity of how resiliently he and fellow activists have fought for trans liberties.

I don't want people to find themselves in a place of incessant discouragement because of what the law is failing to provide us, stated Strangio. I strive to be in a process of using the law to minimize harm, but not to transform it into some kind of pathway for our freedom aspirations. Official institutions is not going to be the mirror through which we see ourselves. Our community are that reflection, and it's extremely important that we continue having that discussion in addition to dialogues about fighting back these laws and procedures.

This significant film is now obtainable for online viewing during Trans Visibility Week and will receive a wider launch at a future date.