Cruel & Unusual

The challenges faced by transgendered inmates in American prisons is the subject of this revealing and poignant documentary from filmmakers Janet Baus, Dan Hunt, and Reid Williams. Five male-to-female transgendered women convicted of various crimes talk about the reasons they were arrested, and what they experienced while incarcerated in men's prisons, as well as their decisions to embrace gender modification. The back stories vary, of course—one persuasively argues that she was forced into participating in a robbery against her will, another turned to theft after being refused jobs on oil rigs (where she'd previously worked)—but all testify about the appalling treatment they received behind bars, commonly facing both physical and sexual abuse in the general population, or terrible isolation if placed in solitary confinement. In addition, the refusal by prison authorities to continue hormone treatments led to serious medical consequences (two of the women resorted to self-mutilation in protest). Even after being released, their difficulties continue—one particularly touching episode follows a woman named Anna as she tries to survive on the outside, thwarted by the courts, which refuse to allow her contact with the son she'd raised for years. A multiple-award winner, Cruel & Unusual is an important film that raises serious issues at a time of increasing visibility for transgendered individuals. DVD extras include extended scenes and the option to view sequences by topic. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)