Lady Valor

Many of the beats of this poignant drama will be familiar to viewers who've seen other dramas about people who change their gender. The years of hiding, the rage and sadness, the tentative explorations out, the eventual blossoming into one's true identity, the chorus of angels, and fin. But Kristin Beck's story has a few additional wrinkles that make it more interesting, particularly for those from military families or who have an interest in gender issues.

As one of Beck's veteran-bar cronies puts it, "She served her country, and she's a true American." But others, such as an anonymous hate-mailer, says, "Enjoy your stay in hell." Does changing her sex wipe out 20 years of service? "Is it like my career means nothing?" poignantly asks Beck, who's still doing work for the U.S. military, as the viewer watches her ex-colleagues react to her presence at military functions or old hometown friends encounter her on the street. Viewers of Lady Valor begin to be aware that Beck is engaged in something no less brave than when she charged into Afghanistan with weapons blazing. It takes guts to change yourself, particularly in ways that you know other people won't approve of. "I'm a human being, and I deserve dignity and respect," she says.