Television writer and playwright Joan Rater brings “Transforming My Family,” her frank and humorous talk about having a trans son and her family’s journey to understanding and acceptance, to Occidental College.

5 Mar
7:00 pm
Add to Calendar 2018-03-05 19:00:00 2018-03-05 19:00:00 Joan Rater on "Transforming My Family" Television writer and playwright Joan Rater brings “Transforming My Family,” her frank and humorous talk about having a trans son and her family’s journey to understanding and acceptance, to Occidental College. Choi Auditorium Occidental College info@kwallcompany.com America/Los_Angeles public
Location: Choi Auditorium
Event Date: Mar. 5, 2018

The event is free; tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Rater’s goal in sharing her family’s experience – which inspired a key character in “Doubt,” the 2017 CBS legal series she and husband Tony Phelan created – is to help educate people on transgender identity as well as discuss her struggles for more transgender visibility on TV.

“Once viewers get to know a trans character, their being trans won’t be scary or alienating. It will feel normal,” Rater says. “If we can broaden the idea of normal a little bit, it will be a good thing. It will save lives. Trans people commit suicide at crazy high rates – like 25 times the normal rate. That has got to stop.”

After joining “Grey’s Anatomy” as a writing team in the show’s second season, Rater and Phelan rose through the ranks and ran the show with creator Shonda Rhimes for seasons seven through 10. Their work garnered a WGA Best New Series in Television Award and two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Drama Series.

Register now

Image for Joan Rater on "Transforming My Family" Event