Born to Be – Official Trailer

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[–]MarkTwainiac 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is just an ad for cosmetic surgeries done mostly on men to help those men reshape their bodies to fulfill their decidedly male sexual fantasies, fetishes and narcissism. Yes, one "he/him" TIF is included, but she's using plastic surgery to chase after a misogynistic, narcissistic dream of her ideal body as well by trying to erase all traces of her female sex.

It's telling that the title is "Born To Be." Coz that begs the question, born to be what? An impersonator of the opposite sex? A totally superficial person? A looks-obsessed narcissist? A regressive sexist who hews to outmoded sex stereotypes? Someone deluded enough to believe that changing the exterior packaging changes the interior contents? All of the above?

[–]radmoon[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Description: "Born to Be follows the work of Dr. Jess Ting (he/him) at the groundbreaking Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery. There, for the first time ever in New York City, transgender and gender non-conforming people have access to quality transition-related care. With extraordinary access, this remarkable documentary offers an intimate look at how one doctor’s work impacts the lives of his patients as well as how his journey from renowned plastic surgeon to pioneering gender-affirming specialist has led to his own transformation.

Dr. Ting's patients are as diverse as the city itself. Cashmere (she/her), decades sober and with a zest for life, offers an invaluable queer history lesson as she looks back on the tumultuous existence she once led on the streets of New York. Jordan (they/them) is non-binary and, with their nurturing partner by their side, finally has the support they need to take the next step in their transition. The loquacious Garnet (she/her) moved to New York City to transition and has the full support of her family, but still struggles with depression. Shawn (he/him) signed up for a new type of gender-affirming surgery pioneered by Dr. Ting with the help of brave patients like him. And heart- and scene-stealer Mahogany (she/her) was once a successful male model, but sacrificed her career to begin life as the woman she is. Through their stories, their joys and hardships, the film addresses the nuances and complexities of gender, exploring key issues around the human right to define gender for oneself."

[–]MarkTwainiac 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Notice the descriptors of these individuals. Most adults are described according to our occupations, educational accomplishments, family and social roles, interests, ambitions, aspirations, religious beliefs, etc:

John Smith, a teacher, basketball coach and father of four who runs marathons, cooks and collects wine. Jane Jones, an immunologist with a PhD in public health and one of the world's leading figures in HIV-AIDS policy, is the mother of two daughters who are also physicians and deeply involved in her synagogue. Lou Ferry, a retired social worker who when not caring for her elderly parents and disabled spouse enjoys gardening, playing tennis, painting, singing in her church choir and pitching in at the local food bank. And so on.

But in all the descriptions of the supposedly fascinating trans people starring in this documentary, only one is mentioned as ever having had a job - that of a male model; and that job was in the past, coz he gave it up "to begin life as the woman she [sic] is." Everyone else is described by gender identity labels (queer, nonbinary, he/him, she/her, they/them, transition transition transition...), by their mental illnesses (one is "decades sober" after "tumultuous existence" on the streets of NYC, which I take to mean he was a homeless street prostitute and/or hustler; another "struggles with depression"), by superficial and notably flamboyant personality traits (one has "a zest for life," another is "loquacious," another is a "heart and scene-stealer").

Only one of these adults is said to have a partner, and that partner of course is made to sound like s/he is basically just a service human who's all about enabling the trans person to transition ("with their nurturing partner by their side, (they) finally has the support they need to take the next step in their transition.")

But none of these people is said to have any talents, accomplishments, aspirations, goals, hobbies, interests, likes, dislikes apart from their gender identities and their "transitions." None of them is portrayed as having much in the way of the fully-developed, diverse social and familial bonds that most people usually have in adulthood. The impression given by the writeup is that they are one-dimensional people whose entire lives are about being transgender and pursuing "transition." That's their one and only ambition.

The documentary bills itself as providing "extraordinary access" to the fascinating lives of individuals in New York City who are

as diverse as the city itself.

Sorry, I lived in NYC for most of my life. This handful of same-sounding, one-dimensional people don't seem anywhere near as diverse at the city - not even close.

[–]grixit 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Are you saying they're not interesting enough to be snapped up for a reboot of Friends? Surely no studio would be that transphobic!