Changing House. Dir.  Z. A.  Mortahardjono.  Frameline,  2009.  18 min.  $50.00.

Changing House chronicles the end of Transy House, a communal living space for transgender women in Brooklyn.

Rusty and Chelsea set out to make their Transy House a safe, welcoming community for trans women in crisis. Single-sex shelters are often unable or unwilling to accommodate and guarantee the safety of transgender people, so Transy House became a rare place where trans women on the streets could find refuge. Unfortunately, the home became a victim of its own success, taking in more women than it could sustainably hold (and more than the couple could handle).

The interviews with the women living in Transy House, including trans activist Sylvia Rivera, are well done and moving. The documentary is a tribute to the couple, and to the supportive, activist history of the house. Changing House is recommended for libraries with deep GLBT and documentary collections.

Reviewed by, Nicole Pasini
Management Analyst ― Training and Staff Development
San Mateo County Library