“Transamerica”

The movie Transgender is a film’s exploration on the representation of a variety of characters and how the identity of their performance complicates the male and female heteronormativity (Goldberg). It is one of the latest film of its category featuring how sex exploitation gender struggle with transsexualism (Kraus, 2009). It is a story that is not only revolutionary but also universal. Bree is the name used to refer to Felicity Huffman in the movie. She is a male –to-female transsexual, pre-operative born again Christian who is takes two jobs, that is, a tale marketer and waitress in order to make a saving for an intended a reassignment of sex surgery (Peters et al, 3). The main aim of this essay is to discuss the significance of this movie and its impacts on the people who contributed to it.

According to Wallbank, the transsexual description lowers a person to a certain condition since people do not have respect transsexuals. She says that medical, legal and emotional battles of transsexuals have triggered social awareness since the release of Tucker’s Transamerica. What she finds amusing in this film is the diversion of Bree’s plans to undergo a sex affirmation surgery to change her male genitals to female. Since the release of the film there has been contemporary debates about the issues such as transgender identity, legal rights and citizenships must be addressed through scrutinizing portrayal of gender identity in the film (Cowan).

Writing on a possible merge between Country Music and identity of gender, Shelburne Craig, says that Transamerica seems from a distance a harmless title, according to her interviewee song writer, Dolly Parton. It is noted here that Bree is awkward socially, pre-operative male-to- female transsexual at his middle age while his fellow main character Toby who is to meet his real father and also to work as a gay porn is 17 years old , a hustler and very attractive. Surprisingly Toby does not realize that his companion is his father since he was conceived when Bree, who is now a woman, was a man.  Bree is compelled to do away with a trait that defines and identifies her as man but suddenly faces the status of parenthood to Toby

In an interview of Fecility Huffman by Murray Rebecca, she said that at the beginning becoming a Transgender was not easy. But after preparing himself (then a man) by reading articles, working with women who had become transgender and also attending transgender conventions, she decided to do it. Later she got a coach who instructed her on how to use make up, putting on the right dresses as she tried to work on her voice. Bree looked so shut down and scared portraying a dormant sexuality at the beginning of the film. This is because she felt unappreciated, unknown to the family but on realization that her sexuality cannot be reversed, she accepted to take it up.

Tucker says that he had to rely on local churches and the community for facilities. However, some issues were controversial such as the use of prosthetic penises and also a scene where Toby confronts Bree of having a penis yet she was known to be a woman. Early in the Transgender, a Dr. Spikosky informs Bree that Gender Dysphoria also known as Gender Identity Disorder is a Mental Disorder that can be diagnosed medically. This opinion has contributed to legitimizing transsexuals and thus the stigmatization of victims as mentally retarded. He argues that this is a lie although if one is brought up in transsexual society where it is outlawed, emotional stress arises (Peters, et al, 5).

This film is not only harmful but also not necessary in our society, whatever the setting. It is a mockery to the Christian faith because Bree’s pretence to be a missionary organization representative but the sexual reassignment surgery is against common Christian teaching. It is a betrayal and confusion to one’s family for when Toby discovers Bree‘s manhood through a rear view mirror. Finally, Bree gives in to feelings of incompleteness, failure and also irresolution having not met his mother’s expectation and also wasting a whole decade in college with no degree earned. Despite, Stanley became Bree as a decisive act making the epilogue seem momentarily positive, the hope it transmits is less than average. The movie also turns out to dangling on pain untamable, anxiety and self mocking humor   though presented as daring and determined to make a personal discovery (Juett).    

Conclusion

Transamerica, by Duncan Tucker is starred by two main characters. Bree, the first and dominant main character who is  a transsexual, the name of whom after reassignment surgery is Fecility Huffman initially as a man known as Stanley. The second main character is Toby. Although, Bree is initially excited about being a transgender, she struggles through the movie and finally, with her private life and that of family members and the society at large. Therefore, as much as the West is inclined to legitimizing transgender, the victims who go through it end up disillusioned and hopeless as shown by the film.

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