Gavin Newsom’s Wife Pushed Gender Films Into California Classrooms While Earning Hundreds Of Thousands

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife, filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is facing criticism over efforts to push her gender themed documentaries into schools across the state while receiving substantial compensation through her nonprofit and film company.

Siebel Newsom is the founder of The Representation Project, a nonprofit organization that produces films and educational materials focused on gender issues and social activism. She also runs a for profit production company called Girls Club Entertainment.

Through these organizations, Siebel Newsom created several documentaries including “Miss Representation,” “The Mask You Live In,” and “The Great American Lie.” The films focus on topics such as gender stereotypes, economic inequality, and what she describes as toxic masculinity.

Siebel Newsom has said that her goal was to examine what she calls the “boy crisis” in America and explore the pressures placed on men and boys through traditional expectations of masculinity.

“I turned the lens on boys and men and looked at the boy crisis in America and how we were failing our boys and men with this rigid notion of toxic masculinity,” she said in a past interview discussing one of her films.

Governor Gavin Newsom also appears in several of the documentaries as a featured interview subject alongside Democratic politicians, activists, and academics.

In “The Great American Lie,” the governor discusses economic inequality and argues that government action can address large social problems.

“We have the ability to step up and solve big problems,” Newsom said in the film. “It’s just a question of prioritization and political will.”

Critics have pointed out that the governor’s connection to the films is not always disclosed to viewers.

The controversy intensified after California education officials recommended Siebel Newsom’s films in state education materials.

In 2019, the California Board of Education included the documentaries in health education guidance that was later adopted by the state Department of Education. The guidance sparked debate due to its focus on gender identity and sexuality topics in classrooms.

In 2020, the state education department partnered with several organizations, including the governor’s Office of the First Partner, to promote social emotional learning programs in struggling schools. Siebel Newsom’s films were again recommended as part of that initiative.

According to tax filings from The Representation Project, the organization reported that its films and educational curricula were used in about 1,000 California public schools.

The group licenses its films and classroom materials to schools, universities, and corporations. Licensing fees range from about $49 to $1,500 depending on the type of screening or curriculum package.

The nonprofit has reported more than $3 million in revenue from film screenings and related educational materials.

IRS filings show that Siebel Newsom receives a salary of about $150,000 from the nonprofit along with reimbursements that can bring her annual compensation to as much as $300,000.

Her production company Girls Club Entertainment produces the films from the Newsoms’ Kentfield estate, which has been valued at roughly $9 million.

Some lawmakers and parents have criticized the programs being used in schools.

California Assemblymember David Tangipa argued that the state should focus more heavily on improving academic performance rather than promoting political or social messaging in classrooms.

“We’ve seen literacy rates at the lowest that we’ve ever had in the state and math rates at the lowest we’ve ever had,” Tangipa said.

State data shows that 44 percent of California 11th grade students did not meet reading standards in 2024, while nearly 70 percent fell below standards in math.

Some parents have also raised concerns after an uncensored version of “The Mask You Live In” that included profanity and references to pornography was reportedly shown to middle school students in one California district.

Siebel Newsom has said her films have reached audiences across the country. According to a 2021 impact report from The Representation Project, about 5,000 schools across all 50 states have screened the films, reaching roughly 2.8 million students.

Her organization’s teaching materials include activities such as a “Privilege Walk,” which sorts participants by factors like race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background. Some lessons also introduce terms related to gender identity using educational diagrams.

Siebel Newsom continues to produce films through her production company. According to a recent interview, she is currently working on a new documentary focused on climate and environmental themes.

A sequel to her documentary “Miss Representation,” titled “Miss Representation: Revolution,” has also been in development but has not yet been released.