Expanding Gender: Youth Out Front

This anthology of four documentary shorts explores various situations in which young people, having identified themselves as transgender or gender-fluid, deal with the expectations of others while also finding support from different quarters. In Jeremy Asher Lynch's Tomgirl, a 7-year-old named Jake plays hockey and engages in other traditionally boy-ish activities, but also wears girls' clothes and in other ways identifies with female peers. Significant here are comments by Jake's parents, a therapist, and other adults who talk about supporting Jake incrementally—i.e., getting used to his choices and not trying to sway him otherwise. Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson's A Place in the Middle tells the story of a young Hawaiian girl attending a charter school on Oahu that honors Hawaiian traditions. Here, she finds cultural support for the idea that everyone has both male and female traits with differing ratios, making each of us unique. Passionate about the idea of joining a boys' dance team, she finds encouragement from a special teacher. Glenn Holston's Monica's Story is a touching profile of a teen who was cast out of her family for being born male yet identifying as female. Homeless and endangered on the streets of Philadelphia, Monica found unconditional support at a center for LGBTQ youth, as well as a new best friend. Finally, J. Mitchel Reed and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee's Passing focuses on three transmen of color, and their discovery of what the world is like for African-American males after their transitions from being female. A solid collection of films about gender issues confronting young people, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)