May 5 Post

A Fantastic Woman. Great movie! Great controversial topics! It is awesome to see the topic of Transgender woman in a relationship with an older man—two things that are unconventional, but when added together make it even more unacceptable in the public eye. Before I started the movie I watched the trailer. And I watched it in Spanish without subtitles, so I didn’t the entirety of the trailer. I did not realize the woman was transgender. I think I’ve seen her in other movies before. I was worried that the actress was a cis woman playing a transgender woman and if that were the case I was going to have a problem with it. But I looked it up and it turns out the actress is Daniela Vega Hernández, a Chilean transgender actress and lyrical singer. Then upon reflection, I was disappointed with myself for assuming the woman was a cis woman. Why did I assume that? Was it because she looked like a woman? Do trans women have to look manly? What a horrible thing for me to say. Is it not a good thing that I did not know she was transgender? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone accepted trans women as women? Couldn’t we all be women? I’d love to hear thoughts on this. It’s something I’ve thought about before. I understand the necessity for the labels and the cis labels to not undermine trans women as real women because they are. I think in an ideal world the need for labels wouldn’t be so great if everyone accepted everyone for who they are. Then again, I’ve always known who I am–girl. girly girl. favorite color, pink. I’ve never known what it’s like to feel lost in your identity. My sister is struggling with this right now. And as much as I am trying to help, I don’t think I do anything but support. An over share maybe…but oh well. I finished the movie and I rather liked it. It kept me on edge and I really felt for Marina. Transitioning is no easy feat and once she thought she was past the hard part in her life and thought she’d settled down with a loving man, it is all taken away from her and her world is thrown into shambles. I think I’ll recommend the movie to my parents. They might learn something.