The Movies

[KandisTX]

The problem here is this:

Hollywood cannot come up with an original idea these days to save their lives. Sure, it would be great if some writer/director/producer combination came up with some great idea that would show crossdressing in a decent light, but with all the crap they have been putting out lately being remakes of remakes, or just taking an idea from old television shows or comic books and making them into movies, the odds are stacked against us in this one.

Kandis

[Sarah Doepner]

In 2006 there was "A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story". That documented the life and early death of Gwen Araujo, a crossdresser murdered in California. There was quite a bit of background and I think it did a good job of making Gwen a sympathetic character. For a bit more see the Imdb listing as a starter - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787484/

I need to clarify my comment on Klinger in M.A.S.H. If a crossdresser story is to have any kind of acceptance from the general public, someone in the story; the character and/or some of those that interact with that character should be that comfortable with the issue. It was acceptable in the context of M.A.S.H. because everyone respected Max, knew he did good work and understood why he wore dresses. In the end of the story we would want to see, there would have to the that kind of relationships.

It may be the best way to do this kind of story is to show it through the eyes of a spouse. We grow into it and sometimes it takes years and years to get to the level we are currently at. When that side of our life is revealed to a loved one they have to absorb all that and we expect them to adjust and adapt within a few days or weeks. We are fortunate when that happens and disappointed when it doesn't. A story for the screen would be good to show that compressed time frame within an even more compressed time frame.

[Amy Hepker]

A movie with a CDer and his wife dealing with and living with the CDing. Working thing out together, doing things together without guilt or embarrassment.

[boy2girl31]

As Sarah Charles said : "In 2006 there was "A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story". That documented the life and early death of Gwen Araujo, a crossdresser murdered in California. There was quite a bit of background and I think it did a good job of making Gwen a sympathetic character. For a bit more see the Imdb listing as a starter - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787484/"

This movie did go fairly mainstream as I saw it on Lifetime. Wish I would have recorded it. I found it to be a heartfelt movie that ended tragicly. I do think it helped to get the message across that we are like everyone else even though some bigoted people disagreed and killed her in the main it addressed the feelings we ourselves don't understand about why we feel this way or how to be accepted.

[ColleenShivas]

This is a great thread. Hollywood has an enormous influence on social attitudes in our society. As a community we are not accepted by most non-dressing males and females, by gays and lesbians, or by the transgendered on their way to SRS. A few well made movies, plus some TV series and a special or two would go a long way to showing that we are a large segment and to getting some level odf acceptance.

[susandrea]

As Sarah Charles said : "In 2006 there was "A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story". That documented the life and early death of Gwen Araujo, a crossdresser murdered in California. There was quite a bit of background and I think it did a good job of making Gwen a sympathetic character. For a bit more see the Imdb listing as a starter - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787484/"

This movie did go fairly mainstream as I saw it on Lifetime. Wish I would have recorded it. I found it to be a heartfelt movie that ended tragically. I do think it helped to get the message across that we are like everyone else even though some bigoted people disagreed and killed her in the main it addressed the feelings we ourselves don't understand about why we feel this way or how to be accepted.

The story about Gwen is really a story about a transexual who was trying to pass.

I actually met Gwen's mom and a transexual director, Shelly Prevost, who made a documentary about the following trial of her killers called 'Trained in the Ways of Men'. It's well done, but terribly sad. (At the time I met Shelly, I believe she said her children still were not speaking to her. I hope that has changed)

The script I have written about a crossdresser as the lead (and is ABOUT his foray into world after being outed) has already been a finalist at a top film festival, and now I am trying for an agent. It's a 'dramedy', and most of the feedback I get from professionals who have read it tell me they were pleased with how likable the lead character is, and how the audience would laugh WITH him, not AT him. I have always felt that without humor, a story about a CD would never make it very far beyond the fringe.

On the other hand, my CD does go through some very honest and trying times. The best thing so far is, many people who have read it say they understand crossdressing better, and wouldn't be as 'freaked out' if they ran into a CD. They also have a better understanding of the difference between a CD, a DQ, and a TS.

So, wish me luck, ladies. Being a part of this forum had been invaluable help.

[RobynP]

Several of the posts have mentioned "Just Like a Woman". I agree with the others about the overall presentation of crossdressing was very good but the last part of the movie did not fit with the rest.

This movie was based on a true story, "Gerald/ine" by Monica Jay. Monica was the landlady who fell in love with Gerald/ine. The book is quite a bit better than the movie as most books made into movies go. Unfortunately, the ending of the book is very sad...

On a different note, no one has mentined "Glen or Glenda". This is probably one of the most bizarre movies I have ever seen. However, there are bits and pieces of crossdressing in it which are amazing given the time period in which it was made.

Robyn P.

[Christinedreamer]

As mentioned, Gloen or Glenda does make a few accurate points about crossdressing as Ed Wood (the wrtier, director, et al) was a CD in real life. IMO that is where the usefulness of this movie ends. Ed was a totally untalented director with delusion of grandeur. The production values of the movie present in the same manner as "Reefer Madness" did and therefore either create gales of laughter or snickers and ridicule.

Unfortunately at the time Ed was making movies, crossdressing was still illegal in many states. here in california it fell under what was called "masking" law. The original intent of this law was to prevent anyone from wearing a mask to prevent identification. Where the need for this law arose is up for interpretation.

Here in California until the mid 70's drag performers were required to wear a full "drab" outfit under the female clothes and some drag perfromers had to wear a little tag that said "I am a boy" so no one would be fooled. Big chance of that!

Hopefully there is will be a realization that we are a major component of the population and that aside from a desire for the softer things in life we are ACTUALLY human and worthy of inclusion. Each time another movie comes out that deals with this a little more progress is made in overall acceptance if not understanding.

Jerry Springer and his ilk are doing harm as fast as LOGO and Bravo are breaking new ground in understanding by the mainstream population.

I think the biggest hurdle we need to clear is the misunderstanding and misinformation.

Thanks to so many sensationalistic stories from Hollywood, all Christians are nutzo fundamentalists, all CDs are murderers, etc. They, as a whole, see no need to differentiate between sick minds and alternative lifestyles.

Accuracy be damned, sensationalism sells.

[celeste26]

IMHO Ed Wood was not the worst filmmaker in the history of Hollywood. He was certainly naive and unskilled but anyone who actually goes to one of his movies and expects a great movie is also in denial.

As a cinephile I look to other productions when I look for the worst of all time. My favorite candidate is "Myra Breckinridge" as the worst. Granted Rotten Tomatoes lists others in the worst of the worst but since I read the book first and had high expectations and was thoroughly disappointed when I saw the movie, I list it as my worst of all time. Myra Breckinridge had many well known actors, a well known director, and a pulitzer prize winning author and still stank.

Ed Wood had such few resources and such a limited budget that there was no way that any reasonably good movie could come out of the process. (with maybe the exception of the "Blair Witch Project" and its arguable as being an example of good theater.)

I look at the work of Ed Wood with a sentimental eye and tend to forgive him for the absurdity.

[TxKimberly]

I'm gonna have to jump on the "Just Like a Woman" wagon too. I saw it a long time ago, but as I recall, it was a fairly good depiction of many facets of being a CD.

[Toni_Lynn]

My wife Debbie and I both LOVED Just Like a Woman. In fact, I'd call it a chick-flick for us girls. I know I cried because of the beauty of the love that Gerald/ Geraldine and Monica found in each other. We were looking for a crssdressing romantic comedy, and this was it 100%

We also liked A Little Bit of Lippy. Its different from Just Like a Woman, a bit sadder, but great.

On the subject of the film Ed Wood, I know its not a CD movie per se, but Debbie and I watched it after I told her about me, and it opened another door of understanding. I will admit that the scene where Ed came out to his girlfriend while at the amusement park, was similar in emotional feel to when I told Debbie about me. I cried during that scene when we watched it together.

There is also Reversals, which aired on Channel 4 in the UK.

Young medical professional couple set out to prove that gender is not a factor in the ability to do a job well. Hilarity ensues as they swap jobs, clothes, and gender, in order to see what life is like from a different perspective.

I have this on DVD as recorded off British TV.

We also enjoyed Hedwig and the Angry Inch as well as Transamerica, but these aren't CD.

I tried to watch Priscella Queen of the Desert and To Wong Foo, but hated them! I refuse to watch Tootsie. Reason is deeply psychological, for when it came out I was a crossdressing teen being abused by my mum but at the same time my mum was laughing at Dustin Hoffman and saying what a convincing woman he made. Talk about mixed messages. I recall at thge time feeling like the movie was making fun of 'us' crossdressers.

All that said .. I'd love to see another romantic comedy crossdresser movie. Boy likes to dress as girl, boy meets girl, they fall in move because he is a crossdresser, she helps him face the foibles and faults of a prejudiced world etc.

Another idea, boy crossdresses as girl .. girl crossdresses as boy .. somehow they find each other and love blooms. Oh -- wait .. I wrote stories like that. If you want to read them, look up The Amy Series at Fictionmania .. look for my name as author .. Kozmik Alaska.

Huggles

Toni-Lynn

[Melanie R]

My wife and I had some discussion with the producer of the show we did for WE Secret Lives of Women Married to Crossdressers about doing a film about a crossdresser and wife for Lifetime. Ellen has produced several other films for Lifetime but believes that the backlash on this type of movie from the religious right groups would keep Lifetime from putting any money into this project. That discussion was in 2006. Perhaps it is time to see if she has any interest now or may know who would be interested. Since she was the main producer of ABC News for 25 years, she did talk about getting 20/20 to do a segment on the crossdresser and wife. I will ask if this is still a possibility.

[KayR]

I wrote a short story some years ago about body-swapping. I was going to write 2 more in order to explore the challenges a m to f person would encounter. Its still on the back burner....
Wasn't there a film about a French TV who had a sex change - becoming a beautiful cabaret star in the process? I think it was a biography, and she was called Papillon - not the Henri Charriere anti-hero. I browsed through the book many years ago. The bits I read were very moving. Later made into a film

[TommiTN]

I see no one mentioned "Soldier's Girl". I haven't seen it, but the synopsis is interesting. It's the story of a soldier who falls for a CD club performer. The story has a tragic ending.

[Christinedreamer]

I completely forgot about Soldier's Girl and I even have the DVD!. It is a true story about a pre-op TS working in a drag show to earn the SRS money. She does the usual flirting from the stage but is attracted to a straight GI who is obviously attracted to her after his buddies goad him into going to a drag bar just for laughs.

Our hero gets seriously involved with her and his buddies freak out when they realize they are guilty of being gay by association with him.

The scene where she finds out he has been killed is heart breaking and well played (IM0) by the actor playing Calpernia.

I don't understand how some people can react the way his budies(?) did. I never have, but then I don't feel theatened by the lifestyle choices of others.

There are genuine scene of love that transcend the M/F/Tg aspect. That is rare but much appreciated. The same thing eventually happened in Crying Game and A Girl like Me.

I hope to live to see a world where love is valued above crass stupidity, ignorance , fear, and violence directed at people who love each other and the "plumbing" is not the most important part.