Wednesday, 1 April, 2020 UTC
Summary
Oculus releases ‘Authentically Us’ in celebration of International Transgender Day of Visibility.
Just three months into 2020 and Oculus TV is already crushing it with its selection of captivating 360 and VR180 content. This past February saw the release of Everest VR, a jaw-dropping VR docuseries featuring some of the most stunning 360-degree footage we’ve ever seen.
Earlier this month, Oculus teamed up with popular internet duo The Slow Mo Guys on an eight-part series featuring everything from fire breathing and katana slicing to powder paint airbag explosions, all of which captured in super slow motion. Today, Oculus continued its winning streak with the release of the eye-opening VR for Good series, Authentically Us.
Available now on Oculus Quest and Oculus Go, Authentically Us shines a light on members of the LGBTQ community who often go unrecognized by the media. Developed in collaboration with Oculus VR for Good, Fovrth Studios, and Pride Foundation, the three-part series takes viewers into the homes and lives of three different individuals from Idaho, Montana, and Oregon.
“We designed Authentically Us on Oculus to help bring transgender people in our communities into our homes and lives, to see our common humanity and move toward understanding and acceptance,” says filmmaker Jesse (Jesus) Ayala in an official Oculus blog. “The COVID-19 pandemic is a great opportunity for people to understand the importance of community.”
According to Oculus:
- We’re Still Here tells the story of Aiden Crawford, a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, as he struggles to preserve and revive his heritage.
- She Flies By Her Own Wings follows veteran Shannon Scott as she urges for freedom and justice for all.
- A Treasured Stat” introduces Acton Seibel, a transgender person of color working in a traditionally masculine industry as a mechanic.
“The stories together show why transgender people should be able to live and work anywhere safely,” continues Ayala. “They also show how transgender people have always been a part of our communities. The stories we tell come from states where LGBTQ communities are rarely depicted in media: Idaho, Montana, and Oregon.”
“As the United States comes together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic with many federal and state governments stepping up to defend all their residents, it saddens me that the Idaho state legislature has passed not one, but a series of anti-transgender bills targeting the transgender community in a time of heightened vulnerability.”
I had the chance to check out She Flies By Her Own Wings while attending the Tribeca Film Festival and was genuinely moved by the piece. Shannon’s courage in the face of adversity as she continued her fight for transgender rights throughout Washington D.C. was inspiring to watch.
All three episodes of Authentically Us are available now on Oculus TV.
Feature Image Credit: Oculus, Facebook
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