Film Review

Film Review: Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She

1.        The main thesis of this film is that first of all gender is a social construction that varies over time, location, different religions and cultures.  Secondly, the American construction of a binary of gender is wrong and marginalizes many people.  This marginalization of people who do not fit into the binary causes much emotional distress as well as violence.  Therefore it needs to be done away with.  I think the article The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female are Not Enough by Fausto-Sterling backs up this thesis very well.

2.       The main arguments in support of this thesis were, when the narrator talked about how biology loves variation but society does not.  Also looking at how different cultures view gender and people who don’t fit into the American binary shows that this binary is not natural and our treatment of those people who do not fit the binary is not natural either.  The interview with Max showed the emotional distress that a person goes through when they are born with ambiguous genitals and there is a rush to assign that person into either male or female.  Also the interview with Calpurinia and the parents of Noah illustrated the violence and fear of violence directed towards people who do not fit in the binary. 

3.       The thesis of the movie fits in with the course because it shows first of all how gender and sexuality is a social construction and this is a sociology class.  Also this film showed how in Western culture specifically American culture people who do not fit into the strict male female categories have been labeled deviant by our society and are treated terribly. 

4.       The most convincing arguments were about the violence faced by those not fitting into the binary and the fear of violence.  It is terrible that people have to fear for their lives and the lives of the people they love just because of others ignorance.  I think the clip we watched in class “Reteaching Gender and Sexuality” supported the argument for change as well.  We need to rethink how we talk about gender and sexuality as well as relearn what American society has told us is natural and not natural.  Then we need to not stop there put pass the message and the lessons learned on so someday hopefully people don’t have to fear for their lives because of who they are. 

Reteaching Gender and Sexuality from Reteaching Gender & Sexuality on Vimeo.
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5.       I’m not sure there was an argument that I found not convincing or least convincing.  I guess I would have to say that the study conducted in California about homophobia reaffirmed what I already thought so it wasn’t very compelling to me.  However, for some people who think that it is okay to be homophobic this study could be enlightening. 

6.       The point that the way gender is looked and treated varies across different cultures was very interesting.  I would like to study that further to include even more cultures that weren’t discussed in the movie.  I would research this point by first deciding which cultures I wanted to study.  Then I would look at their history around gender beliefs and also their current views and beliefs around gender.  I would also look at how people who fall out of the societies norms are treated.