Film Review 1: Middle Sexes

1. The main thesis of the film Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She is about the individual lives of intersex and transgendered people, as well as individuals who come out of societies set gender roles. In the film we see the challenges and struggles of transgender and intersex people and the similarities of it around the world. 2. Some arguments to support the thesis of the film come from personal opinions and stories told from transgendered and intersex people. We get to see how their experiences are with their lifestyle and how they fit in society. The western world other religious cultures look upon this in a negative way. Transgender and intersex individuals face challenges from family and friends as well. In the film, Noah’s parents are scared for him because they are afraid of what society might do to harm him. One example from the readings is in Robert Saposky’s Testosterone Rules where he mentions interesting facts about testosterone, gender studies and aggression in males. In relation to the film, Noah is depicted as having less masculine characteristics about his self than other boys. Just because he feels this way does not make him less of a male. Noah is young and simply likes what he likes. 3. The thesis of this film related to the course in many ways because we have been discussing gender and biology. One of the main focuses has been on how people identify themselves. This film gives good information as to how intersex and transgender individuals live and deal with society. 4. What I found most convincing is how transgender and intersex people are treated in other cultures. In Thailand, the Koata are often found in what our society considers to be prestigious jobs, such as modeling and the entertainment industry. The intersex and transgendered felt excepted and not demonized I Thailand by society. For years I thought intersex and transgendered individuals were demonized everywhere in the world. This documentary proves to me that this is not true. 5. The arguments I found least convincing were not many. I found that some of individual feelings and opinions on the issue was something that people really believed to be natural. The people made it clear on how they felt and why it is they felt that way. 6. An argument or point I would focus is why the film does little to bring attention to or address why western society has the views it does towards transgendered and intersex people. I would have liked t see more insight on history, policies or legislation that has been set in place, and see what society can do to break the social barriers that are in place currently. In Michael Kimmel’s book The Gendered Society he discusses the relations between biology and gender. Kimmel says “There are many problems with biological research on bases for gender difference and more and greater problems with the extrapolation of those differences to the social world of inequality.” In relation to the film, there is no biological explanation on why these individuals are like this or feel this way. But society should not show animosity towards people like this. Work Cited Kimmel, Michael. 2011. “Ordained by Nature: Biology Constructs the Sexes.” Pp. 21-57 in The Gendered Society, 4th edition. NY: Oxford University Press. Sapolsky, Robert. 1997. “Testosterone Rules.” Pp. 22-26 in The Gendered Society Reader, 4th edition. edited by Michael Kimmel and Amy Aronson. NY: Oxford University Press.

Film Review 1: Tough Guise

1. The main thesis of the film Tough Guise addresses how American society has built sociological and cultural ideas about what it is to be masculine, and how a man should be. The media enforces a false representation of a man, which inquires always being strong, tough, and independent. If the male is seen not having these characteristics then his will be made fun of by others. Being seen as weak, fragile, feminine and getting called a “faggot” are some examples. The word “Faggot” can be used by others, not only to reference sexual preference, but to put a person’s masculinity to question. 2. Some of the main arguments to support the thesis were present throughout the movie. Guys were being asked what they consider to be a man or masculine. It is known to many that men do participate in violence most of the time simply to show their masculinity. The examples in the movie did anything it they could to depict and scare those who are not more masculine. In Paul Kivel’s article The Act-Like-a-Man Box he brings interesting focus to the topic of masculinity. Kivel mentions that men feel the need to stay in this box of masculine characteristics to keep from being verbally or physically abused by others (Kivel 14). In relation to the film, guys are programmed to stay inside this box or notion. This is the misconception taught by media and society. 3. This course is all about masculinity and men’s issues, and how people perceive men as the dominant gender in the society. I think this film is related to the course by how we construct gender in society. The film really sheds light on the misrepresentation of how it is to be a man and how society has shifted our thought process. 4. What I found most convincing in the film is that the social institutions should re-consider the idea of masculinity and focus on a less violent approached to these issues. Since we were kids in this society our families started shaping us to become independent, strong and successful at a young age. But not every individual is equal or the same, therefore not everyone should be expected to act the same way. This film made me thinks of how the world is ruled today. It is about man power, who is strong and who is not. From a privilege and race stand point, Jewel Woods brings up interesting things on black males and privilege in his article The Black Privilege Checklist. Woods mentions how the black male is privileged in our society and how it differs for that of white males (Woods 26). He also mentions that there are many similarities between men than there are differences (Woods 26-27). In relation to the film, black men are held to same stereotypes of what it means to be masculine as well. Identifying myself as bi racial, I find this to be true. 5. What I found least convincing is with the notion that violent creates more violent. It is this idea of masculinity that is embedded in us. If we can change what society valued and change the concepts and ideas surrounding masculinity we may help change the behaviors of some individuals. 6. I would conduct an experiment on how the impact of television, movies, and video games has influenced violent behaviors in teenagers and young adults. I would conduct this by having two groups of teenagers and two groups of young adults. Group one will be exposed to sports, country or classical music, and social activities. Group two will be exposed to violent behavior through television, video games, and movies. After a few months I would record all the group’s behaviors by observation, and how they socialize with other groups accordingly. Work cited Kivel, Paul. 1984. “The Act-Like-A-Man Box.” Pp. 14-16 in Men’s Lives, 9th edition, edited by Michael S. Kimmel and Michael A. Messner. NJ: Pearson Woods, Jewel. 2004. “The Black Privilege Checklist.” Pp. 26-31 in Men’s Lives, 9th edition, edited by Michael S. Kimmel and Michael A. Messner. NJ: Pearson