CANS
Can’t Stand

The Film

 

For forty years, police and prosecutors have weaponized Louisiana's Crime Against Nature by Solicitation (CANS) law to terrorize queer/trans Louisianians. CANS Can't Stand follows a group of Black trans women in New Orleans who are fighting to repeal that law—and advance trans liberation across the state.

CANS Can’t Stand was produced by Lynwood Films in association with Operation Restoration and NOVAC.

 

Upcoming Screenings

The Team

Matt Nadel - Co-Director, Producer
Matt Nadel (he/him) is a queer filmmaker and journalist from Florida. Much of his work focuses on criminal justice, gender and sexuality, and law. Matt's documentary work has been showcased by New York Times Op-Docs and a dozen international film festivals. His most recent documentary, 120 YEARS, won Best Short Documentary at the Pan African Film Festival, the largest Black film festival in the U.S. Matt graduated from Yale's American Studies program.


Megan Plotka - Co-Director
Megan Plotka (she/they) is a filmmaker and watchdog journalist focused on injustice and government accountability in the South. She has covered major national events like the historic hurricane season in New Orleans, the 2020 presidential election, and the protests against police brutality in honor of George Floyd. Before beginning her storytelling career, Megan spent several years undertaking social justice organizing work in New Orleans. She graduated from Tulane University with a double major in Political Science: International Relations and Social Policy and Practice.

Wendi Cooper - Co-Producer
Wendi Cooper (she/her) is a transgender woman of color from New Orleans. She is the founder of CANScantSTAND and executive director of TRANScending Women. Wendi has served on Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s transition team, as co-chair of Arthur Hunter’s campaign for district attorney, and as a community organizer for the NO Justice Project. Wendi holds a B.S. in Biology and an Executive Masters of Criminal Justice, both from Southern University.

Will Mayo (he/him) - Editor
Nisa East (she/her) - Director of Photography
Jenstar Hacker (she/they) – Composer
Darcy McKinnon (she/her) – Consulting Producer
Joseph Fischel, Ph.D. (he/him) – Historical Consultant

The Movement

 
 

CANScantSTAND & Operation Restoration

Wendi Cooper leads CANScantSTAND in partnership with Operation Restoration, a nonprofit supporting women and girls impacted by incarceration. Support the movement by donating to the CANScantSTAND campaign at Operation Restoration.

 
 

House of Tulip

Milan Nicole Sherry and Mariah Moore lead House of Tulip, a New Orleans-based community land trust offering housing solutions and community space for trans and gender nonconforming people in Louisiana.

TRANScending Women

Wendi Cooper founded TRANScending Women to support and empower all women—transgender, gender nonconforming, LGBQ, and cis—with tools and community to become agents of change inside and outside of systems that have traditionally disempowered them.

 

Read More About the Law

Contact

For more information about the CANS Can’t Stand documentary or to arrange a screening, contact producer Matt Nadel.

For more info on the CANScantSTAND movement, contact founder Wendi Cooper.