A Boy Named Sue

Invited by Sue/Theo and her/his lover Lisi to capture Theo's extraordinary gender change, filmmaker Julie Wyman's remarkable documentary chronicles a female-to-male transgendering (FTM) while at the same time offering a captivating exploration of love that examines how personal and sexual identity affect the physical and emotional fabric of a relationship. Among the many topics explored during the brief one-hour running time are the hair-raising medical steps associated with a gender change, beginning in 1994 with Sue's announcement of her decision to undergo a sex change: hormone injections lead to a deepening voice, thickening of muscles, and the development of facial hair, paving the way for the more profound psychological transition of femininity to masculinity. The combination of the lengthy filming period (six years) and the subjects' candid insights allows us to witness complex emotional changes, as Theo's increased confidence and his marked physical differences usher in the birth of a new personality from the scar tissue of his previous self. A Boy Named Sue carefully dissects the politics of FTM within the context of gay issues and the larger social world in which Theo must redefine himself, and while not particularly for the squeamish (graphic medical procedures are shown), the film nonetheless serves as an impressive keyhole through which viewers can peer into the psyche of a person who believes herself trapped from birth in the wrong physiology. A decidedly confident celebration of self-hood--as well as a detailed clinical study--the film dramatically shows us how a man named Theo amazingly grew out of the chrysalis of a girl named Sue. A good companion piece to You Don't Know Dick (VL-1/99), this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantú)