Fiona Dawson

Fiona Jane Dawson (born 31 July 1977) is a writer, producer, and film director. She is best known for the documentary TransMilitary, which premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2018 and won the Audience Award.[1][2][3] Dawson is an Emmy-nominated documentarian and has lived in America since 2000.[4][5]

Fiona Dawson
Fiona Dawson during a filming of the award-winning NOW with Fiona
Born
Fiona Jane Dawson

(1977-07-31) July 31, 1977
Suffolk, United Kingdom
CitizenshipBritish
United States
EducationUniversity of Essex
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, writer
Years active2010-present
Known forTransMilitary
Websitehttp://www.fionadawson.com

Career

In 2015, Dawson was commissioned by The New York Times to direct and produce the short opinion documentary, Transgender at War and in Love.[6] The film was released on June 4, 2015 on The Times’ Op-Doc platform and was positioned that day on the publication’s website home page. The film’s success earned Dawson the honor of being an LGBT Artist Champion of Change awarded by The Obama White House.[7][8][9] The film won The White House News Photographers Association's Best Documentary, was nominated for a GLAAD Award in the Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia category, and was a nominee for Outstanding Short Documentary in the 37th Annual News & Documentary Emmy.[10][11] The film’s characters Senior Airman Logan Ireland and Corporal Laila Villanueva were interviewed on The Ellen Show and participated in a private reception in The White House with President Obama, making Senior Airman Ireland the first openly transgender service member to walk the halls of the White House in uniform.[12] Fiona continued working with director Gabriel Silverman and created the full-length feature documentary TransMilitary which follows Senior Airman Logan Ireland, Corporal Laila Villanueva, Captain Jennifer Peace and First Lieutenant El Cook. The film premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2018 and won the Best Feature Documentary Audience Award.[13][14][15] Dawson has served on the national board of directors of the Human Rights Campaign and the board of directors for NLGJA - The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association.[16]

Awards
  • 2009 Houston's Female Grand Marshal for the 2009 LGBT Pride Parade.[17]
  • 2015 Identified as an LGBT Artist Champion of Change by The White House.[18]
  • 2016 Emmy Award Nominee for Transgender, at War and in Love.[19]
  • 2016 GLAAD Award Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia category.[20]
  • 2018 SXSW Best Feature Documentary Audience Award for TransMilitary.[21]

Personal life

Dawson is originally from Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom and emigrated to the United States in 2000 becoming a US citizen in 2008. Fiona lives in Austin, Texas, is openly bisexual, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community.[22][23][24]

References
  1. Baird, Julia (21 February 2014). "The Courage of Transgender Soldiers by Julia Baird". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  2. "LGBT Documentaries 'TransMilitary' and 'The Gospel of Eureka' Tackle Religion and the Military at SXSW by Jude Dry". 16 March 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. "TransMilitary: Film Review: SXSW 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. "Emmy-nominated Fiona Dawson on being bi, a trans advocate, and erased from LGBTQ spaces". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  5. "Documentarian Fiona Dawson Headlines Houston Transgender Unity Banquet by Dr. Laura McGuire". 3 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  6. "How does she do it all?" With Fiona Dawson". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  7. "Making Art to Make a Change: Championing LGBT Artists Across the Country by Aditi Hardikar". 7 December 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  8. "WATCH: White House Honors LGBT 'Champions of Change' by Dawn Ennis". 24 November 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  9. "Emmy-nominated Fiona Dawson on being bi, a trans advocate, and erased from LGBTQ spaces". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  10. "Activist and Filmmaker Fiona Dawson Returns to Houston for Transgender Unity Banquet". November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  11. "BFF: Four Minutes, Four Questions with filmmakers Jena Burchick & Fiona Dawson". August 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  12. "Ellen Chats with Transgender Military Couple Logan & Laila Ireland". YouTube. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  13. Baird, Julia (21 February 2014). "The Courage of Transgender Soldiers by Julia Baird". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  14. "GLAAD Funds Its First Feature Documentary: 'TransMilitary' by Anita Busch". 21 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  15. "TransMilitary: Film Review: SXSW 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  16. "White House recognizes Chicagoan Pidgeon Pagonis among "Champions of Change"". 23 November 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  17. "Grand Marshals – Pride Houston, Inc". Pride Houston, Inc. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  18. "Fiona Dawson - Transgender American Veterans Association". Transgender American Veterans Association. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  19. "The New York Times Nominated For Nine News and Documentary Emmy® Awards". The New York Times Company. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  20. "Outstanding Digital Journalism - Multimedia". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  21. Hayes, Dade (2018-03-17). "'First Match' And 'TransMilitary' Are Among SXSW Audience Award Winners". Deadline. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  22. "Emmy-nominated Fiona Dawson on being bi, a trans advocate, and erased from LGBTQ spaces". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  23. "Documentarian Fiona Dawson Headlines Houston Transgender Unity Banquet by Dr. Laura McGuire". 3 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  24. "Fiona Dawson: On Advocating for the Bisexual and Trans Military Communities". 27 June 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
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