AMC Theatres has canceled screenings of a documentary film detailing the negative side effects and risks of so-called “gender-affirming” surgeries following backlash from a trans-led organization.
The 90-minute documentary, titled “No Way Back: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care,” was set to premiere at AMC throughout the United States beginning June 21, according to a press release from Panacol Productions and Deplorable Films, the distribution companies behind the documentary.
It features interviews with five young people discussing the medical treatments and care they received for gender dysphoria, and how they “subsequently realized they were given the wrong treatment,” according to the press release.
Additionally, the documentary features input from 12 experts in pediatrics, mental health, sociology, and endocrinology—among them an Oxford professor—who collectively have “decades of clinical practice” examining the pros and cons of the current practices surrounding medical transitioning for adolescents and young adults.
The press release states that the documentary is also produced by “lifelong California Democrats and LGBT activists” and takes a “non-religious, non-political, and non-ideological look on the subject of gender-affirmative medical practices, the risks and side effects of cross-sex hormones, surgeries, and the long-term health implications of gender medicalization.”
Following the announcement of the premiere, the Queer Trans Project, which describes itself as a “black and trans-led organization” on a mission to “provide gender-empowering resources to LGBTQ+ individuals all across the world” protested the screening and demanded it be canceled.
Documentary Branded ‘Anti-Trans’
In a series of Instagram posts, the organization claimed that AMC were “caving to the right-wing backlash” by showing the “anti-trans” documentary in theaters across the nation and called on supporters to take “urgent action” by calling AMC executive leadership and demanding they block the documentary from being shown.
On June 17, the organization announced the documentary had been pulled from AMC theaters nationwide.
“We did it! Our community’s swift action is a testament to the power of advocacy and the importance of raising our voices against harmful content,” the organization said in a statement. “Your collective efforts have made a significant impact, and the decision to pull No Way Back from AMC theaters is a step towards fostering a more inclusive and respectful environment. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to creating positive change.”