Documentary 'We Can't Stay Here' To Explore Gender Refugees, Driven To 'Fight, Flee Or Go Underground' In Anti-Trans America
Deadline
β’Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:30:00 +0000
π° What Happened
Deadline reports exclusively on We Can't Stay Here, a new feature documentary from emerging independent studio Wrong Turn Productions that follows families under siege who are raising transgender children in an increasingly hostile America. Directed by Emmy and Peabody winner Gene Gallerano and currently in post-production, the documentary explores the journeys of three sets of parents as they confront an impossible decision: fight the rising tide of anti-trans legislation, flee the country, or go underground to protect their children.
The documentary arrives at a moment of unprecedented legislative attacks on transgender rights in the United States. In 2025 alone, the ACLU documented more than 600 anti-transgender bills introduced at the state level, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. At the federal level, President Trump has issued multiple executive orders targeting transgender rights, including restrictions on healthcare, military service, and legal recognition. The documentary's title β We Can't Stay Here β captures the urgency and desperation felt by families who see the US becoming an unlivable environment for their transgender children. The film aims to humanize the debate by centering the stories of real families making extraordinary sacrifices to ensure their children's safety and well-being.
π The Backstory
The United States has seen a dramatic escalation in legislative efforts targeting transgender people, particularly transgender youth, since 2020. Measures have included bans on gender-affirming medical care for minors, restrictions on transgender participation in sports, limitations on bathroom access, and laws restricting public drag performances. The Trump administration, returning to power in 2024, expanded these efforts at the federal level through executive orders and agency actions. The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law is a leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. Wrong Turn Productions is a newly established independent studio that describes its mission as producing socially conscious documentary content. Gene Gallerano is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker whose previous work has focused on social justice issues.
π― Why It Matters
This documentary arrives at a critical moment in the American civil rights landscape, documenting what many advocates describe as an unprecedented legislative assault on transgender people. By focusing on the personal stories of families forced to consider leaving their homes, the film has the potential to shape public understanding of the human impact of anti-trans policies and legislation, at a time when the national debate over transgender rights is intensely polarized.
Deadline reports exclusively on We Can't Stay Here, a new feature documentary from emerging independent studio Wrong Turn Productions that follows families under siege who are raising transgender children in an increasingly hostile America. Directed by Emmy and Peabody winner Gene Gallerano and currently in post-production, the documentary explores the journeys of three sets of parents as they confront an impossible decision: fight the rising tide of anti-trans legislation, flee the country, or go underground to protect their children.
The documentary arrives at a moment of unprecedented legislative attacks on transgender rights in the United States. In 2025 alone, the ACLU documented more than 600 anti-transgender bills introduced at the state level, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. At the federal level, President Trump has issued multiple executive orders targeting transgender rights, including restrictions on healthcare, military service, and legal recognition. The documentary's title β We Can't Stay Here β captures the urgency and desperation felt by families who see the US becoming an unlivable environment for their transgender children. The film aims to humanize the debate by centering the stories of real families making extraordinary sacrifices to ensure their children's safety and well-being.
The United States has seen a dramatic escalation in legislative efforts targeting transgender people, particularly transgender youth, since 2020. Measures have included bans on gender-affirming medical care for minors, restrictions on transgender participation in sports, limitations on bathroom access, and laws restricting public drag performances. The Trump administration, returning to power in 2024, expanded these efforts at the federal level through executive orders and agency actions. The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law is a leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. Wrong Turn Productions is a newly established independent studio that describes its mission as producing socially conscious documentary content. Gene Gallerano is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker whose previous work has focused on social justice issues.
This documentary arrives at a critical moment in the American civil rights landscape, documenting what many advocates describe as an unprecedented legislative assault on transgender people. By focusing on the personal stories of families forced to consider leaving their homes, the film has the potential to shape public understanding of the human impact of anti-trans policies and legislation, at a time when the national debate over transgender rights is intensely polarized.