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Draft:Caitlin McCarthy

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  • Comment: I see a lot of primary sources and a ton of inline URLs, but what I don't see is coverage from secondary sources, except for a few apparently local or regional reports. Drmies (talk) 00:46, 16 December 2024 (UTC)



Caitlin McCarthy
BornUnited States
Occupation
  • Screenwriter
  • Educator
  • Activist
CitizenshipAmerican
EducationWorcester Academy, Regis College, Emerson College
Website
http://www.caitlinmccarthy.com

Caitlin McCarthy is an American screenwriter, educator, and activist renowned for her advocacy on behalf of survivors of the DES (diethylstilbestrol) drug disaster.

In 2010, McCarthy contacted the offices of U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown to advocate for an apology for the harm caused by DES, a drug linked to significant health issues. Her efforts played a key role in securing the FDA's landmark acknowledgment of DES as a "tragedy" in 2011[1], after four decades of avoiding such a designation. The FDA has not issued a formal apology for the harm caused by DES, and McCarthy continues to advocate for this[2].

In 2022, McCarthy provided testimony to the Scottish Parliament, sharing her personal experiences as a DES Daughter and advocating for an official apology in Scotland[3]. Her advocacy played a role in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon including DES in a historic 2023 apology to victims of forced adoption[4], marking the first government apology addressing the DES tragedy.

McCarthy's creative work spans feature screenplays, one-hour teleplays, and adaptations.

Early life

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Caitlin McCarthy grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Ann, was a Special Education teacher[5], while her father, Albert, served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, attached to the National Security Agency (NSA) in South Korea during the Vietnam War[6]. After his military service, Albert rose to the position of Executive Vice President at a Fortune 500 company and later transitioned to a career in executive search[7]. McCarthy has one sibling, an older sister named Erin[8].

McCarthy graduated from Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts, before earning her Bachelor of Arts in English, graduating Cum Laude from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. While at Regis, she completed a collection of short stories and poetry for her Departmental Honors thesis[9]. McCarthy went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts[10].

McCarthy is an American of Métis descent, tracing her heritage through her mother's documented Huron, Abenaki, and French Canadian ancestry. Her 8th great-grandmother, Marie Olivier Sylvestre Manitouabeouich (1624–1665), was the daughter of Roch Manitouabeouich, a Huron-Wendat, and Oueou Outchibahanoukoueou, an Abenaki. Marie Olivier Sylvestre Manitouabeouich's marriage to Martin Prevost marked the first officially recorded church wedding between a Native person and a French settler in Canada.[11]

McCarthy is a member of the Métis Nation of Canada and the Métis Federation of Canada. She holds a Certificate of Aboriginal Status card through the Ontario Métis Family Records Center (OMFRC).

McCarthy is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) through her 7th great-grandfather, Mathurin Morrissett, who served as a sergeant in a militia from Cap-Santé, Quebec[12]. His service was particularly bold, as the Bishop of Quebec, Jean-Olivier Briand, had threatened excommunication and denial of a Christian burial to those who joined the rebel cause.[13]

Career

[edit]
Caitlin McCarthy dedicating WONDER DRUG's "Most Likely To Be Produced" award to her mother at the Action on Film Writers' Awards.

McCarthy has received a number of honors for her screenwriting, including selection as an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation script at the competitive HamptonsFilm Screenwriters Lab[14], recognition as an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Top 10 female writer and Top 50 script[15], a "Featured Script"[16] on The Black List website, and inclusion on The Bitch List. She has also been featured twice on the cover of IMAGINE Magazine.[17]

Notable screenplays by McCarthy include Wonder Drug, a feature film about the DES (diethylstilbestrol) drug disaster, which is currently in development[18] with Lori Singer directing as well as co-writing alongside McCarthy. The film is produced by Stephen Nemeth of Rhino Films and McCarthy, with Vanessa Hope serving as Executive Producer. McCarthy is a DES Daughter.

Outside of screenwriting, McCarthy is a veteran English Language Arts instructor[19] at Worcester Technical High School in Worcester, Massachusetts, a public high school that serves a diverse student population, including those from low-income backgrounds.

Activism

[edit]
Caitlin McCarthy outside Scottish Parliament.

Caitlin McCarthy is an activist and advocate for survivors of Diethylstilbestrol problems.

McCarthy's commitment to raising awareness about the DES tragedy earned her two nominations for the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2011 and 2012, recognizing her significant contributions to the cause.[20] Additionally, she received the MTA Human and Civil Rights Award[21] from the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the "Service to Community" Alumni Award[22] from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, in recognition of her DES activism.

McCarthy worked with the offices of U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, leading to a landmark acknowledgment of DES as a "tragedy" by the FDA [23]in 2011, ending 40 years of silence.

In 2022, McCarthy testified before members of the Scottish Parliament[24] about her experiences as an American DES Daughter and advocated for a formal DES apology in Scotland. Her efforts contributed to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon including DES in her historic 2023 apology to victims of forced adoption[25], marking the only government-issued apology to date for the DES tragedy.

On November 11, 2024, McCarthy met with members of the Scottish Parliament[26] in Edinburgh to advocate for enhanced medical research and a public awareness campaign to educate women and their children about the potential health risks associated with DES. The meeting was part of Scotland's ongoing efforts to explore ways to provide care for DES victims[27].

Awards, nominations, honors

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Caitlin McCarthy stands before the "FAME" mural by Montreal artists Earth Crusher and Five8, created for the POW! WOW! Worcester festival. Photo credit: Christine D. Peterson.

Screenwriting labs

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Published works

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  • Contributed essays to anthologies such as Idol Talk[30] (McFarland & Company, 2018) and Soap Opera Confidential[31](McFarland & Company, 2017).

Fellowships and presentations

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  • Received an Artist Fellowship in Dramatic Writing[32] from the Mass Cultural Council.
  • Featured panelist on Final Draft's live webinar Breaking In: The Writers Journey[33](moderated by Sadé Sellers).

References

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  1. ^ "FDA Outlines Initiatives Inspired By DES 'Tragedy' - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  2. ^ Duckett, Richard. "'DES Daughter' Caitlin McCarthy gets McGovern's help in call for apology". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  3. ^ Scott, Marion (2022-03-13). "Inquiry urged as drug given to forced adoption mothers triggers legal action around the world". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  4. ^ "Scotland's Leader Apologizes for Past Practice of Forced Adoptions". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Ann McCarthy Obituary (1944 - 2019) - Worcester, MA - Worcester Telegram & Gazette". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  6. ^ "Albert McCarthy". Korean War Legacy. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  7. ^ "The Graybeards". original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  8. ^ "Meet Caitlin Mccarthy". Bold Journey Magazine. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  9. ^ "Write Stuff | Regis Today | Fall 2017 - Regis College". alumni.regiscollege.edu. Archived from the original on 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  10. ^ Staff, Emerson Today (2016-01-26). "Emerson Screenwriters Win Big in Austin". Emerson Today. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  11. ^ "Marie Olivier Sylvestre: A Special Name in History". Ontario Métis Family Records Center. December 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  12. ^ Nelson, Paul David (2006). "Quebec During the American Invasion, 1775-1776: The Journal of Francois Baby, Gabriel Taschereau, and Jenkin Williams (review)". The Journal of Military History. 70 (2): 500–501. doi:10.1353/jmh.2006.0114. ISSN 1543-7795.
  13. ^ "The American Invasion of Canada, 1775". John Carter Brown Library. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  14. ^ "People - Sloan Science & Film". scienceandfilm.org. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  15. ^ "The Academy Nicholl Fellowship (2019) Results - Coverfly". writers.coverfly.com. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  16. ^ "Black List Featured Project Page". blcklst.com. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  17. ^ "IMAGINE Magazine, Summer 2024 Issue".
  18. ^ Duckett, Richard. "Worcester teacher and screenplay writer Caitlin McCarthy's 'Wonder Drug' closer to filming". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  19. ^ "Caitlin McCarthy Is Worcester Teacher By Day, Screenwriter By Night". Worcester, MA Patch. 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  20. ^ "Caitlin McCarthy". Forty Over 40. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  21. ^ STAFF, Richard Duckett TELEGRAM & GAZETTE. "McCarthy wins MTA award". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  22. ^ "Write Stuff | Regis Today | Fall 2017 - Regis College". alumni.regiscollege.edu. Archived from the original on 2024-12-14. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  23. ^ "FDA Outlines Initiatives Inspired By DES 'Tragedy' - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  24. ^ Scott, Marion (2022-03-13). "Inquiry urged as drug given to forced adoption mothers triggers legal action around the world". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  25. ^ Scott, Marion (2023-03-26). "'Three words to change the world': Nicola Sturgeon pays personal tribute to campaigner after forced adoption apology". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  26. ^ Duckett, Richard. "Worcester 'DES daughter' Caitlin McCarthy to speak at Scottish Parliament on awareness". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  27. ^ Scott, Marion (2024-11-24). "Stilbestrol: Top medic accused of not listening to cancer campaigners". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  28. ^ "Projects - Sloan Science & Film". scienceandfilm.org. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  29. ^ "People - Sloan Science & Film". scienceandfilm.org. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  30. ^ "Idol Talk - McFarland". mcfarlandbooks.com. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  31. ^ "Soap Opera Confidential - McFarland". mcfarlandbooks.com. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  32. ^ "Check out Caitlin McCarthy's work on @masscultural's gallery!". Mass Cultural Council. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  33. ^ Final Draft (2020-09-22). Breaking In: The Writers Journey. Retrieved 2024-12-14 – via YouTube.
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