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Need Gender Advice

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Dolphinkid, May 9, 2014.

  1. Dolphinkid

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    Alright so I hope nobody is offended by my post.
    I'm trying to make a movie with my PFLAG group at school and one of the characters is supposed to be trans MTF. And being as we lack any trans members, i would like to here anyones story about how they realized they werent exactly the gender they were told they were and especially any funny or akward momente regarding your gender, gender expression, transition, dress, etc.
    Also if anyone knows anything about things that maybe used as makeshift faux breasts.
    PLEASE REPLY IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
     
  2. Gates

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    I only request that you PLEASE, for the love of all that is holy and good in the world, do NOT make the hollywood mistake of portraying a transgender woman as a flamboyant gay man in a dress!! If you don't have any transgirls, please just have a cisgirl in the role and not a guy. Transwomen are women FIRST and transgender just through happenstance. Show what being trans can be like but don't do so at the cost of disrespecting an entire group of women.

    I am literally begging.
     
  3. Dolphinkid

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    Well I wasn't planning on making them flamboyant, but I'm pretty sure the role is going to be played by a man. Because it makes more sense for a character that was born a male and knows theyre female to be played by a male who will act as though they are a woman. They won't be flamboyant. They will just act female. And the character isnt sassy or anything, she's just nice, if that's what you're worried about.
     
  4. AudreyB

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    BRAVO :eusa_clap

    As for myself, I'd love to share, except everything I have would kill your movie dead from boredom, lol. Don't really have any funny/amusing stories as I've been very deeply in the closet my whole life and only just now starting to emerge.

    Although maybe you could find a funny storyline in my previous practice of secretly wearing my ex's clothes while she was out. You'd have to invent any "getting caught" scenarios, because I never got caught. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  5. BookDragon

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    Actually that isn't true.

    The thing is what you are trying to portray is a woman being a woman in a male body.

    What you will have is a man being a woman in a male body.

    The only reason to have a guy do it is if you plan on showing parts of the characters body as an important aspect.
     
  6. Gates

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    No offense, kiddo but do you understand anything about women? If you really think a man playing a woman is OK just because some women have male bodies, I don't think that you should write such a character. I am sick of filmmakers creating caricatures of transwomen. A transwoman is a woman, and a guy in a dress can never capture that no matter how talented they are.
     
  7. Dolphinkid

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    I've done something similar and I'm not even trans lmao

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 08:45 PM ----------

    I apologize for attempting to create a film that is supposed to help create more acceptance of anyone that is LGBTQ+. That was so awful of me.

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 08:47 PM ----------

    The film as a character that represents each letter and i just needed some help in creating an interesting character for the T
     
  8. Gates

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    Cut it with the attitude. I'm trying to help you since I think the plan overall is good and I like art.

    Let's start again...

    You would like to portray a character who is trans female, yes? So, what are you wanting to know?
     
  9. Dolphinkid

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    What sort of things are insulting to a trans person.
    when the trans female is a teenager and cannot go through any sort of "transition" what do they do to make themselves look more like their true gender?
    and yeah, of anny sort of funny/akward moment involving gender identity.
     
  10. JennyKeys

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    What sort of thing is insulting to a trans person? How about a trans woman being equated to a dude in drag. That's pretty insulting.
     
  11. Gates

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    What sort of things are insulting to a trans person?

    Being misgendered, being accused of perversion, being forced into incorrect social roles, being laughed at, picked on, beaten up... The list goes on... But the first 3 are pretty prominent.

    When the trans female is a teenager and cannot go through any sort of "transition" what do they do to make themselves look more like their true gender?

    I guess that you mean hormones and surgeries? When they can't do that, I think that clothes, growing hair out/ removing body hair, and things like this are pretty standard. [/B]

    Any sort of funny/awkward moment involving gender identity.

    Being "mistaken" for your correct gender. :lol: Bathrooms... trying to use one for your assigned sex and freaking people out (probably less shrieking for the girls :roflmao:slight_smile:. Sneakily buying clothes or fashion magazines (I use to sneak GQ and Esquire in). Having an older sales clerk panic when you try to enter the dressing room for your assigned sex but they read you as your correct one << my favorite. An old, very Southern man: "hold on there cowboy, that's the ladies dressing room. Men's is over there *points*" :roflmao:

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

    ^ Exactly.

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

    And I cannot stress enough that a girl (trans or cis) MUST play this part or it WILL be offensive.
     
  12. Dolphinkid

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    E=Gates;2034386]What sort of things are insulting to a trans person?

    Being misgendered, being accused of perversion, being forced into incorrect social roles, being laughed at, picked on, beaten up... The list goes on... But the first 3 are pretty prominent.

    When the trans female is a teenager and cannot go through any sort of "transition" what do they do to make themselves look more like their true gender?

    I guess that you mean hormones and surgeries? When they can't do that, I think that clothes, growing hair out/ removing body hair, and things like this are pretty standard. [/B]

    Any sort of funny/awkward moment involving gender identity.

    Being "mistaken" for your correct gender. :lol: Bathrooms... trying to use one for your assigned sex and freaking people out (probably less shrieking for the girls :roflmao:slight_smile:. Sneakily buying clothes or fashion magazines (I use to sneak GQ and Esquire in). Having an older sales clerk panic when you try to enter the dressing room for your assigned sex but they read you as your correct one << my favorite. An old, very Southern man: "hold on there cowboy, that's the ladies dressing room. Men's is over there *points*" :roflmao:

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

    ^ Exactly.

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

    And I cannot stress enough that a girl (trans or cis) MUST play this part or it WILL be offensive.[/QUOTE]

    That's great :icon_bigg thank you so much. Probably one of the first helpful responses I've gotten all day.
     
  13. Manta

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    I apologize for attempting to create a film that is supposed to help create more acceptance of anyone that is LGBTQ+. That was so awful of me.

    First, let me say what you're doing trying to raise awareness is great!

    This is a sensitive topic for many people, myself included, so all we ask is that you listen to these concerns. It is as valuable a lesson to show your audience acceptable ways to portray trans* characters as to try and raise awareness that they exist. You've stepped up to a very difficult task, but we're behind you 100%.

    I didn't understand I was trans* until very recently precisely because of the media portrayal of transwomen. The first time I thought I might be trans* was junior year of high school when it came up as an option on the anonymous drug, alcohol, and sexual activity survey we had to take. I must have stared at that bubble for the majority of the period, but ended up not choosing it because I wasn't a "gay guy in a dress" as the stereotype is.

    A funny story...ish?... the first time I wore my binder out I put on the most androgynous clothes I own and walked around the park for a few hours. I didn't encounter anyone I knew at the park, but as soon as I got back to my building one of my friends got on the elevator as well. After about five seconds she literally jumped, did a double take, put her hand on her heart and said "woa, I didn't recognize you!"

    Anyway, I hope your video turns out well! Please listen to the voices on EC and take their concerns and advice into consideration. Although the advice wasn't solicited, it was given to you so loudly because so few ever listen to it and correct portrayal of trans* individuals, particularly transwomen, is beyond important! This video you are making has the power to change lives, as it was a single video that changed mine, so hold your head high and do your best!
     
  14. Dolphinkid

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    Wait just to be clear, does "transition" just refer to taking hormones or having surgery?

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 09:24 PM ----------

    Thank you for the advice!
     
  15. AudreyB

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    Can only :eusa_clap at these words above.

    Protective llama :kiss:
     
  16. Gates

    Gates Guest

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    "Transition" refers to any action taken to live in the correct gender. This may include choosing an appropriate name, using appropriate pronouns, clothes, etc. That's social transition. Medical transition may involve hormones and/ or surgery.

    ---------- Post added 9th May 2014 at 07:33 PM ----------

    Dang right. I will do everything in my power to protect my girls (and girls in general :lol:slight_smile:.

    :kiss:
     
  17. Manta

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    Transition doesn't necessarily mean taking hormones or other physical alterations of the body, although it may include that. It can be changing your gender presentation by wearing the clothes of your true gender, changing the name people know you by, switching to preferred pronouns, etc. It is a very individual process, but those are some of the most common things.
     
  18. Dolphinkid

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    Alright thanks and don't think I was being insulting by asking, because I genuinely didn't know. This is all an attempt to better my coworkers version of the script that was a bit hurtful in itself.
     
  19. Gates

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    Asking isn't insulting. But I think you didn't understand that gender is more important than biological sex and that having a man play a woman devalues her identity.

    ---------- Post added 10th May 2014 at 10:15 AM ----------

    You've got good intentions and seem like a bright kid. :slight_smile:

    If you want to post any parts that you're concerned about, I'll be happy to look it over and discuss it with you.
     
  20. Dolphinkid

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    Well se my coworker was attempting to say that one character has a trans sister. But she wrote "...two years ago I had a brother. This year I have a sister...or half." Referring to her transtion....which is the main reason I took up this task of trying to improve the script.