Soft sniffles were heard through the almost silent auditorium of the Marjorie Luke Theatre last Tuesday as the protagonist of Siobhan McCarthy’s comedy film She’s the He tells her mother that she is a transgender girl. It’s a beautifully vulnerable scene in which a young girl, Ethan, begs to be accepted as she is — one that’s cut short with laughter as her chauvinistically straight male friend, Alex, bursts through the front door in a crop top, faux gay lover in hand to one-up her coming out.
This moment of emotional catharsis at She’s the He’s West Coast premiere screening, a homecoming for Santa Barbara–grown writer and director McCarthy, was a much welcome introduction to Pacific Pride Foundation’s official Santa Barbara County Pride Week. As the audience stifled sobs — many reflecting on their own queer experiences — a warmth filled the theater. (See Maggie Yates's preview story here .)
To quote Nicole Kidman in her iconic AMC Theatres commercial , “Heartbreak feels good in a place like this.”