Just Gender

Clips from Ed Wood's notorious Glen or Glenda appear in Just Gender, but for once they're not played for laughs. George Zuber's documentary—narrated by actress Bebe Neuwirth—takes a serious look at the pain and paradoxes suffered by transgendered individuals in contemporary society. Although their identity is appended to the LGBT umbrella, we're told that even homosexuals and lesbians often look askance at the transgendered, since the latter do not identify themselves as being "gay," but rather as being trapped in the wrong bodies and attracted to the opposite sex. A procession of transsexuals (pre- and post-op), transvestites, and various advocates testify to bullying, violence, and homicides; rejection by families; stigmatization from employers and health insurers; and the dilemma of deciding which public restrooms to use. Sometimes talking heads contradict each other, especially regarding cross-dressers (who may declare themselves as “normal,” but are often categorized with those longing to switch genders). Unsurprisingly, media portrayals in films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Silence of the Lambs did little to advance social acceptance, which is what transgenders most crave. Just Gender succeeds in taking oft-abused subject matter out of the carnival-sideshow tent and into a caring spotlight. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)