Commentary on Film: TransAmerica

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Recommended: Discrimination and inequality in the LGBTQ community

On Tuesday, March 4th the President’s Commission of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation had a viewing and panel discussion of “TransAmerica”. “TransAmerica” is a film about a transgender woman, Bree. Prior to transition Bree went by Stanley. The entire film revolves around Bree and her ultimate goal of getting vaginal construction surgery. She says to her therapist, “It will be the happiest day of my life.” Unfortunately, as the therapist is about to sign off on Bree’s surgery, Stanley receives a call from a county jail in which a young man by the name of Toby is calling for help and claims to be the son of Stanley. The therapist tells Bree she must deal with her past before she can have the surgery. Bree ends up flying from Los Angeles to New York to bail out Toby.
The film continues and the pair begins the trek back to the west coast. Bree, acting like a Christian missionary, has plans to drop Toby back at his step-fathers house. Their trip takes them through Texas in which they meet with a group of transgender people at a house gathering. Toby still does not know that Bree is his father. They continue driving more and Bree has to stop to urinate and Toby catches a glimpse of Stanley’s penis. Things get worse as they continue driving; their car is taken by a “peyote shaman” and in the car was all of Toby’s money and Bree’s hormone pills. Down on their luck, a kind passer-by picks them up and they wind up at a bar. At this bar we are introduced to Calvin, a local rancher who takes interest in Bree. While talking with Calvin, Toby sneaks off to get money by prostituting himself to get money to get to LA.
Calvin ends up taking the dynamic duo to Bree’s parents’ house. Bree’s family has not seen her since she was once Stanley. ...

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...ng. I have had relatively few experiences with Trans* individuals, even as a member of the LGBT community. I always like hearing first hand experiences. This event made me understand differences better within the LGBT community specifically. It was refreshing to hear a Trans* woman perspective on gender identity and free expression. I think in the LGBT community it can be very easy to ignore the necessity of Trans* rights and instead push for gay rights. Trans* rights have a similar but also very different agenda than the Marriage Equality movement. For Trans* people marriage equality is important but it also important for local, state and national government to recognize them as their preferred gender identity. Other issues which the trans*movement is pushing for are equality in the areas of economic opportunity, education, military status and family recognition.

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