Join us for this special film screening and Q&A with the filmmaker!

Understanding Myself as an Amphibian is a Queer ecology documentary that explores the sexual diversity of the wildlife around us. Director May Matchim (she/her) draws connections between these incredible species and her own journey accepting her Transness. The title is a reference to the green frog, an amphibian which is able to change its sex as it matures.

This film explores a variety of animal and plant subjects, including same-sex bird parents raising chicks together, and a group of salamanders that’s entirely female. It also examines the exclusionary attitudes in biology and conservation throughout time, and how these attitudes have influenced our understanding of animal behaviour.

With this film, May hopes to help encourage Queer and Trans viewers to develop a stronger relationship with the natural world. Historically, we’ve been excluded from outdoor spaces and faced discrimination within the biological and environmental sciences. She hopes this project is able to address these continuing barriers through on-camera representation and the celebration of Queer wildlife. In this way, Queer and Trans viewers can see their experiences reflected on screen. By understanding ourselves through the lens of biodiversity, the film suggests that we extend community to non-human animals.

*Members attending for the film – at the gate tell them you are there to attend the film screening and you will to be charged admission fee to the park. There will be popcorn too!

May Matchim (she/her) is a Trans woman filmmaker based in Toronto. She has a BA in Film Production from York University. In 2022 she graduated from Fleming College’s Environmental Visual Communications program. Following this, she completed a communications placement at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island. A keen naturalist, she’s an avid birder and member of the Toronto Feminist Bird Club. She has worked at the Royal Ontario Museum and a number of environmental organizations.