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.