I recently saw the above film at the Auckland Queer Outtakes Film Festival and was... disappointed. Some of it was quite good, but alot of the time they just came off as whiny (well the couple of white guys were but the black dudes seemed more down to earth) -_- and ugh, when they went on about how horrible binding was and how painful and traumatising etc. etc. only to mention that (one particular person) they used three ace bandages all at once?! Why did no-one mention freaking proper binders?? I wear a t-kingdom and forget I'm wearing it, its that comfy.

That was one of the main things that stuck out to me, but overall, I just don't think their (the American) trans-experience translates well to the New Zealand one. Completely different mind-set and view of the world. We're generally a 'Stop whining and get on with it' mentality and these (though not all of) guys just came off as annoying and self-absorbed.

Hope I don't offend, just wondering if any of you guys had seen it and wondering your thoughts about it.

(I realise this isn't what every transguy in America is like!)

I actually haven't even heard of that till just now, but I do find that most of the shows and movies don't portray everything right. It's rather annoying. They probably wanted to show the world what it's like to be a trans without the proper things or something. Who knows, lol. Maybe if I get a chance to see it for free I'll watch it. Just out of curiosity.

I saw it the other day. I thought it was okay. The binding thing was pretty stupid though. Oh, and the kid with the blonde hair was just a whiny little douche. The others were okay though.

I think the other problem was that it was made from a lesbian perspective, which though was its purpose... it just wasn't how I saw being trans.

you can get it on youtube...i will watch it tonight....

Their American trans experience comes off as douchey to Americans as well.

The American experience (any of them, and there are lot) is not really exportable.

Quote from: Mister on June 08, 2009, 01:50:06 AM
Their American trans experience comes off as douchey to Americans as well.

lol XD

Quote from: milliontoone on June 08, 2009, 01:45:17 AM
you can get it on youtube...i will watch it tonight....

Link?!

Jay

I just watched it on youtube, thought it was ok, but the lesbian stuff annoyed me.

Quote from: Ghostguy on June 08, 2009, 11:13:27 AM
I just watched it on youtube, thought it was ok, but the lesbian stuff annoyed me.

I'm watching it right now and I have to agree.

I think it just pisses me off further.

i watched this...it was kind of douchey.....

Quote from: milliontoone on June 12, 2009, 03:31:32 PM
i watched this...it was kind of douchey.....

told you.

Just finished watching it.  I thought it had its good points.  It is very much from an academic, feminist perspective, which limits its appeal quite a bit.  I just wish they had found someone besides that annoying young prat who apparently named the film.     The kid sure talked a lot, but didn't have much to say.

yeah and the whiney blonde ftm really irked me...it's like get over yourself already...

I agree with most of the comments here. I, too, found Keegan very annoying, and I just wanted him to shut up. Yap, yap, yap.

The binding sequences...sheesh, of course Ace bandages hurt. I wouldn't want viewers to get the wrong impression about binding, but I think they would from this documentary. That segment seemed pretty irresponsible. I was starting to get the impression that Keegan in particular really WANTED to suffer.

The lesbian perspective was understandable but also problematic. I do think that there's nothing wrong with the lesbian perspective as long as the filmmakers clarify their objectives--one of which was obviously to open up some kind of dialogue between lesbians and transmen. And I think the documentary should have noted much earlier (not in the last minute before the credits) that lots of transmen don't come from the lesbian world.

Overall, I'm glad I saw the film, and some good points were made. But it was a pretty ho-hum experience for me. At least I didn't blow four or five hours like I did with Transgeneration. For me, that doc was a REAL waste of time compared to the hour that I spent on Boy I Am (stupid title, I thought, but that's just me).

Quote from: Arch on June 14, 2009, 03:17:16 AM
The binding sequences...sheesh, of course Ace bandages hurt. I wouldn't want viewers to get the wrong impression about binding, but I think they would from this documentary. That segment seemed pretty irresponsible. I was starting to get the impression that Keegan in particular really WANTED to suffer.

I'm kind of surprised that they didn't use this to illustrate the point that was brought up about transitioning and class.  Maybe none of these guys could afford a proper binder?  Although they all managed to get together enough for surgery, so you'd think they could scrape up $40 for an Underworks.  Or maybe Underworks and T-Kingdom weren't in business or as well known at the time Boy I Am was filmed.  When was it?  2004, 2005?  It seems more out of date than that. *shrugs*

It occurred to me as I watched the film, though, that the one FtM that I really couldn't stand or take seriously was also the one who wasn't on T.  I had to ask myself if that played a role, subconsciously, in my reaction to him.  Any thoughts on the subject?

Watched it.
It was okay. Didn't have any "big" problems with it.

Quote from: Jamie-o on June 14, 2009, 05:14:07 AM
It occurred to me as I watched the film, though, that the one FtM that I really couldn't stand or take seriously was also the one who wasn't on T.  I had to ask myself if that played a role, subconsciously, in my reaction to him.  Any thoughts on the subject?

Okay, I'll admit that one thing that irked me about Keegan was his pre-T voice--god, his VOICE sounded so whiny. Maybe he was lowering his voice as far as he could and that process got him into the zone that I hated so much. But then they interviewed him after T, and I found him just as annoying. And I listened to some of his pre-T interviews again and thought he was just, well, a little too emo. I didn't want him to be "representing" me on camera, even though (I have no doubt) I'm sure that at times I've come across as whiny myself while I go through my transition process. So I dunno.

But I don't think I was subconsciously discounting him just because he wasn't on T. I don't have a problem with guys who choose not to transition or guys who choose not to go on T or whatever--although it does annoy me when guys like that complain about being clocked for having feminine voices. (If you want the male voice, go on T, even if temporarily. If you choose not to, then accept that ordinary people will think you're a woman. Or be prepared to launch into your Trans 101 spiel every time it happens.) Anyway, one of my favorite people here in town is a guy who says he'll probably never transition; he identifies as genderqueer. I respect that.

Then again, I don't hear him whining very much!

At the beginning of the film, there is some line about how "everyone puts their gender on in the morning."  This might be the biggest load of crap I've heard.  I am the same gender, clothed or not.