Apr 5

Apr 5 This is Everything: Gi Gi Gorgeous

Harvey Milk Festival and Sarasota Out collaborated to create a "secret event". The showing of Gigi Gorgeous! This is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous, is the story about a transgender YouTube star. Who tells her tale about her life, transition and social media fame in this personal documentary. This film has also been seen at Sundance Film Festival, and now the SFF.

Formally, known as Gregory Lazzarato and a competitive diver. Gigi Gorgeous talked about losing her mother to cancer, the relationship with her family, and living life unapologetically herself. With over 2.4 Million YouTube subscribers she has been viewed as truly representing "living out loud". As someone like myself who documents my own and others stories. I was very intrigued to see this film. I believe the film touched on the struggles endured by the LGBTQ community, but also gave an understanding of owning your life and creating your happiness.

After the film director and Oscar winner, Barbara Kopple did a Q&A.

What I really enjoyed about the Q&A, is it provided different perspective on how others digested the film. There were a few questions on how other viewers less fortunate as GiGi could relate or if they even felt this film represented them at all. While some raved about the intimacy and reveling of her story. There was definitely a mixed response but that's the beauty in film festivals, everyone is a critic.

I had the privilege of being interviewed after the film by Zara Barrie. Her work has been featured on The View, The Real and shared by The Huffington Post and Cosmopolitan! We breiflly spoke about, " Did you enjoy the film?" and "What did you get out of it?" Zara Barrie is a professional writer and talk show host. She is also the senior sex and dating writer at Elite Daily, where she founded their first ever "queer culture".

I believe This is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous reconfirmed for me to continue my journey and going against the status quo. There is nothing more rare or more beautiful than a woman who is comfortable in her perfection and imperfection. A woman who will never trade her authenticity for approval.