A documentary featuring the journey of several detransitioners scheduled to hit the big screen this week was scrapped by AMC after activists mounted a pressure campaign to stop the film’s screening.
The major movie theater chain canceled showings of “No Way Back: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care” yet producers of the film are claiming AMC caved to the demands of a transgender advocacy group called Queer Trans Project, according to Fox News.
The documentary was scheduled to be released in select theaters on June 21 for one day.
One of the detransitioners in the film panned the cancellation during an interview with Fox News.
“I think it’s incredibly dangerous to set this precedent of suppressing free speech, suppressing viewpoints that basically are just unpopular or difficult to deal with,” Laura Becker said.
The 90-minute film claims to feature the stories of detransitioners, as well as a dozen experts in related fields. Press materials for the film say it examines the risks and long-term implications of gender-affirming medication.
AMC did not reply to multiple news outlets’ requests for comment, but a source familiar with the matter told Fox News the cancellation was due to poor ticket sales.
The Queer Trans Project over the weekend cheered the decision by AMC.
“We did it! Our community’s swift action is a testament to the power of advocacy and the importance of raising our voices against harmful content,” the organization wrote in an Instagram post.
“Your collective efforts have made a significant impact, and the decision to pull No Way Back from AMC theaters is a step towards fostering a more inclusive and respectful environment.”
Deplorable Films, the documentary’s distribution company, said in a statement they stood by their filmmakers.
“It is quite evident that those undertaking this crusade against this film have not had the courtesy of seeing it before taking such extreme actions to silence it,” the company said, Fox News reported.
The movie could soon be streamed or available on DVD.
