NEW YORK and ARLINGTON, Va.– WNET, the flagship PBS station based in New York and PBS Digital Studios, have announced the launch of First Person, an original digital series exploring sexuality and gender identity. The series, the first to come as a result of the previously announced strategic partnership between WNET’s Interactive Engagement Group and PBS Digital Studios, will debut on a new channel within the PBS Digital Studios YouTube network Thursday, Feb. 26, and will release new episodes every other week. Preview the series in the newly released trailer above.
Through candid personal narratives, each five-to-eight minute video will examine a different set of issues facing the LGBTQ community, using interviews and host commentary to illustrate intimate experiences that speak to larger conversations about gender, sexuality, social norms and identity development. First Person will also incorporate comments from viewers, discussion prompts and engagement with viewers to continue the conversation on the First Person social media accounts.
Hosted by Kristin Russo, the co-founder of LGBTQ youth organization Everyone Is Gay, the series will launch with topics including transgender transitions on YouTube, bisexual erasure, queer fashion and coming out in sports, and will feature conversations with trans artist and YouTuber Skylar Kergil, author Vivek Shraya, fashion icons Nicolette Mason, Arabelle Sicardi and Rae Tutera, ESPN correspondent Kate Fagan, and others.
“First Person gives us the exciting opportunity to start a meaningful and respectful dialogue about LGBTQ issues,” said Dan Greenberg, WNET’s Chief Digital Officer.
“Together with WNET, PBS is committed to exploring diverse viewpoints and we look forward to fostering thoughtful conversations through First Person,” commented Don Wilcox, vice president, Digital Marketing and Services at PBS.
For WNET’s Interactive Engagement Group Daniel B. Greenberg and Joe Harrell are executive producers; Meredith Heil is producer, camera and editor; Kristin Russo is producer and host; and Casey de Pont is associate producer and art director.
