The trailer for a new original documentary from director Melinda Maerker and producer David Clayton Miller has been released. We Live Here: The Midwest explores what it means to be LGBTQIA+ in the Midwest of America. The movie is set to be released for streaming on Hulu on December 6th, 2023. 

The official description for the new documentary said, “[The film] profiles families who hope to stay in part of the country they love, and where they have often established roots: a trans/queer family with five children in Iowa must find a new community after being expelled from their church; a gay Black couple with a young daughter test the line of acceptance in Nebraska; a lesbian couple homeschool their bullied son on a farm in Kansas; a gay teacher in Ohio creates a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students; and a couple in Minnesota struggles to rebuild their families following both their transitions. Meanwhile, Minnesota State Representative and queer mother Heather Keeler brings LGBTQIA+ rights to the political forefront despite ongoing death threats.” 

HuffPost reported that the film is “an authentic portrait of courageous families in America’s heartland.” 

In an interview with People Magazine, Melinda Maerker said she chose to focus on the queer identity in the Midwest because it’s “really the heart of family values.” Maerker sought to challenge the anti-LGBTQ+ policies and hate crimes that have plagued the U.S. by showing that “these are not just issues, these are people.”