Pat, the evasive, androgynous character made famous on Saturday Night Live by Julia
Sweeney, was an inescapable figure in 1990s pop culture. As a child, filmmaker Ro
Haber became obsessed with Pat—a character whose popularity stemmed from making others
uncomfortable by defying gender norms. Decades later, and now an out trans filmmaker,
Haber still grapples with Pat’s legacy. Thirty-five years after It’s Pat first aired,
Haber assembles a group of queer and trans comedians, writers, and even Sweeney herself
to revisit the character. Through conversation and critique, they aim not to erase
Pat but to reframe them, transforming a symbol of ridicule into one of reflection
and empowerment.
“2025 Montréal Exposures Trans Film Festival Program.” 2025. https://exposuresmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Exposures-2025-Booklet-5.5-x-8.5-in-2.pdf.