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Friday Film Series: Tipping the Scales, the Michelle Rocking Horse Garcia Story

The Story: An eight-year-old boy named Michel Erin Garcia dared to dress in his mothers clothes, put on a little make-up and go out in public as the girl he wanted to be. It's the late 50s and he's never even heard the word transgender, but he realized there is something about him that is very different. Music would serve as both distraction and inspiration. In high school, Michel would prefer he be called Mike. He formed a series of bands, explored many musical genres and enjoyed regional success. Mike kept his sexuality a secret from family and friends, but continued to venture out as a young woman exploring the Hollywood club scene.
After graduating from high school, Mike began to explore his Native American roots and quickly embraced the music, spirituality, and activism that accompany the people who once roamed these Americas. Mike became Grey Horse and delved into the healing his maternal grandmother practiced. Grey Horse also became aware of the age-old tradition of two-spirited people, the transgender women who were once revered by most tribes. He would marry twice and father three children, raise two stepchildren, but just couldn't deny he was destined to be a woman. Music was his salvation and he recorded his first album, Prophecy, with the help of distinguished fellow Native American performers.
After four attempts at transitioning, in 1994, Grey Horse finally became Michelle Garcia, male became female, and a new singer-songwriter was unleashed. Michelle moved from Seattle to San Francisco and blossomed as both a woman and a performer. In 2000, she was crowned Miss Transgender San Francisco. The next year she joined the Transcendence Gospel Choir and was featured on the choir's CD. Michelle would produce and record songs she wrote for five discs: Spanish Traveler; San Francisco Queers; New Grey Line; Laughing in the Kitchen; and Dead End Street.
Michelle now lives with her partner of eight years, Ward Law, outside of Nashville, Tennessee where she continues to write and record her music.
Tipping the Scales: The Michelle "Rocking Horse" Garcia Story uses Michelle's own words, observations from her friends and loved ones, photographs, film footage, and, most effectively, Michelle's wonderful music to tell her incredible story.