Dreamlife and Movie Rec

[thrihyrne]

I woke up around 6:10 and was relieved, as it meant I still had another hour to try and sleep. During that hour I dreamed I was in some kind of group of people fighting court cases; apparently I'd stolen some piano sheet music during an audition! Very strange. Also as part of that I was in a job in customer service and was listening to someone as he was doing research about raccoons (yes, they're really in my subconscious) while I was trying to lace up some really gorgeous, brand new, steampunk-ish cordovan boots. Yeah. My wasband has also been figuring prominently in my dreams the past few nights and I'm not sure what that's about, except that it was our divorce that prompted my living here the first time. I seem to come here during times of trauma, but I'm in a very different place now.

My folks and I watched Southern Comfort last night. I can't remember how on earth I found out about it, but I'd checked it out from the Multnomah public library before relocating. The JMU library had it so we watched it last night. It's hopeful, it's anger-inducing (toward the health care system), it's heartbreaking, and poignant. These two paragraphs are from Kate Davis, the director:

These themes of courage and stepping out of the closet were also the backbone of Southern Comfort. When I met Robert Eads at a conference for transgendered men, I found myself living with a very hidden minority, hidden because they pass so well as men, and hidden to protect themselves against the daily perils of living as a transperson in a world which still persecutes them and makes every day a dangerous prospect.

The men in Southern Comfort were fine living their regular lives, and hardly jumped at the chance to be part of a documentary. In fact, Robert himself resisted for months, and one day called to tell me that he was up for it. That he would be dead by the time the film would be finished. And so we all started to help tell Robert's extraordinary tale of being a transman, a parent, a shotgun-toting guy who can pass for a classic Redneck from rural Georgia, and as someone who was falling in love during the final year of his life. During the filming, I began to hear one recurring idea: the importance of accepting oneself. From that comes the strength to live a more honest life, and from that comes the chance to open up the hearts and minds of others.

Robert, the FTM who is the focus of the documentary, states early on how ironic it is that the one female part left to him is what's killing him- ovarian cancer. That's not to give anything away; that he's dying from the beginning of the documentary is stated outright. It was filmed in 1998 and I desperately hope that the medical community is far more understanding of trans* individuals more than a decade later, but in the area where he lived, it's hard to say. There are "Bubba-lands" in various regions of the U.S.; Hooterville comes to mind.

There are interviews with three of the cast members as extras on the DVD and I recommend watching those, too. They are at one of the film festivals, and they each wear shirts publicizing the movie, and they say: Love is a many gendered thing. I've not heard something so profoundly true and moving in a long time.

Regardless, this documentary is highly recommended. There's one person on my flist for whom this topic is near and dearly personal. I thought of you the whole time. ::kisses::

Comments

[jaiden-s.livejournal.com]

The wookie got up and starting cooking sausage at 6am. Therefore I dreamed I was in a high school cafeteria, searching for eggs. :P

The documentary sounds like something I'd enjoy. Thanks for the rec. :)

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

LOL about your dream!! It is funny how outside forces like smell and sound can find their ways into our dreams.

Glad you liked the rec! I don't often rec movies, but given the topic and that so many people on my flist are more aware of gender issues than the 'average' person, I thought it would be good to get the word out.

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

Love is a many gendered thing.

oh. that's... wonderful.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Isn't it, though?! Especially when it's on the shirts of this small collection of trans* people who care for and nurture each other in what is definitely a hostile environment. It just reminds me that love really doesn't necessarily have anything to do with gender. ♥

[wolfiekins.livejournal.com]

I suppose we'll have to keep our eye on you whenever you're around sheet music...

The documentary sounds very interesting. Not surprising that very few understand, let alone accept, transgendered individuals.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

The whole transgender thing has been relatively new on my radar, just the past couple of years. I guess that since I'm used to thinking about gender and various orientations and hermaphrodites just as a start, trans* individuals don't seem strange to me at all. But to 'conventional' society, whatever on earth that may be, I can imagine that anything that doesn't fit conveniently within expected parameters is confusing and probably discomfiting. It's a really great documentary. I'm getting the A&E "Transgender Revolution" that she did first via interlibrary loan. I'm sure that will be an eye opener as well.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the rec!

Is there any chance you plan on attending all or part of RavenCon, BTW?

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I'd not thought about going to RavenCon, though I'm thrilled to see you're on the panel! I was actually thinking of making a week-long trip through NC to visit you and two other friends, taking full advantage of being back on the east coast. I don't have any particular dates in mind, but perhaps you can email me and let me know if there are weeks that would be particularly better for me to come visit, if that's even something that's appealing and wouldn't interfere with your very busy life.

Are you presenting anything at Ravencon?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Great! I'll be in touch.

I'll mostly be on panels at RavenCon, but it looks like I'll also be doing one two-hour solo presentation on the YA Dystopia phenomenon (an updated variation on my WorldCon talk).

*hugs*