What transgender character(s) in film first caught your eye, inspiring you?

[Dana does shopping]

Male or female who caught your eye inspiring you to this point in your life?

[Beverley Sims]

None of them Dana.

Films generally do not give the inspirational drive I would have seeked to get me to where I am today.

Directors, presentation and film censorship to name three.
Oh! Producers and audience attitudes, I could go on. :)

[Christina Sevilla]

Second Serve which was a story about Renée Richards caught my eye. I was still in high school when. My mom asked for me to rent a movie for her. I rented the movie without reading the description so when I got and with nothing else to do I decided to watch it with her. When i realized what it was about i was transfixed and in awe.

[Jason+]

While not technically "in" the movies but still quite the character for me is Wendy Carlos. I was hooked on the music from the first time I saw "Tron" (the original) at the Ritz Theater in Salt Lake City and later in high school when I first heard "Switched on Bach" and learned about the woman behind the music. The movie "Soldiers Girl" definitely left an impact although I don't know that it was inspiring.

[Kate Simmons]

None in particular although I may have aspired to emulate some characteristics of some female characters.:)

[dana digs sweaters]

At 13 I saw Christopher Morley in "Freebie and the Bean".
I didn't know a boy could be pretty and out in public as a girl.

[Jocee]

Well..... as a kid I always loved the gender fluidity of Bugs Bunny.... seriously.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Dana, I was involved in this program before hardly anyone had a television.

[Jennifer in CO]

ditto Dana

[mariehart]

My first inspiration was a TV play about a TV, BBC I think. In fact it was sympathetic and realistic. Essentially the wife comes home unexpectedly and finds this woman in her house. The woman turns around and it's her husband dressed up. Cue the usual drama surrounding the issue but in the end it all works out. I liked that.

Another was a similar play where a man meets his former best friend who has transitioned and is now a woman. For this they actually used a male actor and transformed him with masks and silicone effects so that he could appear naked as a woman. It was really well done. The man ends up sleeping with his friend with all the conflicts that entails.

Another was a US movie, a murder mystery which featured a beautiful woman in one of the main roles. One thing that puzzled me throughout was the fact that all her lines were clearly dubbed in later like a foreign film. The reason became obvious when she was unmasked as the killer by the hero who went to arrest her. Imagine his surprise when 'she' resisted arrest and in doing was revealed to be a man. She also gave the hero a thorough kicking revealing that tight skirts and high heels were no barrier to putting up a fight.

I've no idea of the name of any of the above though.

I did like 'Some like it hot'. It's whole premise was ridiculous but funny.

On the other hand I hated Tootsie and Mrs Doubtfire.

[Andy66]

Please, nobody get offended... I know they were comedians, but Milton Berle and Flip Wilson were probably the first people I ever saw in drag, and I really liked them. Then I read about The Rocky Horror Picture Show when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and Dr. Frank N Furter just blew me away... funny, camp, but sexy at the same time. Wow!

[Lorileah]

While not technically "in" the movies but still quite the character for me is Wendy Carlos
Loved Wendy. She is an inspiration

No one directed me to this. I hated Geraldine and Uncle Milty. I watched maybe 3-4 Bosom Buddies.

After I had started this journey, I liked Soldier's Girl and Crying Game

[dana digs sweaters]

Hi Marie H, maybe the murder mystery was from the television show "Vega$"
Christopher Morley played the part with the dubbed in voice.

[mariehart]

Thank Dana. That could be actor alright.

[Ressie]

+3 for Wendy Carlos. Of course I heard her music when she was Walter Carlos first, but on hormone treatments. But I was surprised to see a big article on her in Keyboard magazine after her reassignment surgery (I believe she was on the cover). The photos of her depicted an average looking woman that looked casual and comfortable. I think it was proably the first time I saw a TG that wasn't trying to look sexy. Oh, and I did imagine what it would be like to be her!

I can't think of a character in a movie that inspired me (that first caught my eye). However, I've enjoyed most of the TG related movies I've seen and felt some inspiration from some of them.

[Bunty]

At 13 I saw Christopher Morley in "Freebie and the Bean".
I didn't know a boy could be pretty and out in public as a girl.

A television screening of that made quite the impression on me in my youth!

225880

To see a man in nylons (black and sheer at that) and high heels! And to see them worn so well!

Then came "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"...

[WhisperTV]

I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show 18 times as a teenager. I can't say it made me want to cross dress, but it made the idea of cross dressing far less shocking to me than it would have been otherwise.

[Dana does shopping]

That scene you have just posted has been with me always for most of the same reasons!

[Andy66]

I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show 18 times as a teenager. I can't say it made me want to cross dress, but it made the idea of cross dressing far less shocking to me than it would have been otherwise.

Yes, exactly! I never did understand why people have a problem with it. Im much more opposed to people wearing UGLY clothes, than wearing the opposite sex clothes.

[Sabrina133]

yes, without a doubt Freebie and the Bean. i picked the movie up on a whim - didn't know anything about it. I couldn't a man could look so pretty. It was an inspiration.

XO
Bree

[dana digs sweaters]

Yes Sabrina, he was quite the surprise with his oh so feminine appearance.

[Teresa]

Hi Marie H,
I think the BBC drama might have been , " A Little Bit of Lippy ". If it was that one, it was what pushed me into coming out to my wife!
Just after my wife gave me details of the Beaumont Society. Some weeks later I rang them and mentioned the drama, they were not happy because it caused so many marriage separations for months after the screening.

[erika_kerrie]

I wouldn't say she inspired me but I was fascinated with Gwen in the bar seen in Crocodile Dundee. I thought she was hot :) I was like cool, I could go to a bar dressed up like a chick :)

[StaceyJane]

Second Serve which was a story about Renée Richards caught my eye. I was still in high school when. My mom asked for me to rent a movie for her. I rented the movie without reading the description so when I got and with nothing else to do I decided to watch it with her. When i realized what it was about i was transfixed and in awe.

I saw Second Serve when it was first broadcast. I thought the story was so incredible.

[mykell]

at age seven dad went to see the movie "gunn" 1967 we were supposed to stay in the back seat and sleep (yea right) it was a drive in,
i cant remember the actors name but played a women and there was a bathtub scene where he was shaving his legs before he got dressed, new right then i liked this and still have not shaved mine, go figure....

[Aviatrix]

Well I had seen movies and TV shows with a transgendered character before I found my inspiration. This is one of my all time favorite movies, a sweet romantic comedy.

My inspiration is Judy Squires (played by Peter Outerbridge) from the movie Better Than Chocolate. The movies is actually about a young lesbian couple who meet and fall in love to face the stresses of mother and brother finding out that their family member is gay. Judy is also represented in a very positive way and is a great influence in the film. She acts as a mother figure for the young lesbians, goes through the trouble of trying to fit in to society as a woman and a lesbian, and the always sad rejection from her parents because she is transgendered. If you get the chance, check out the movie, it is funny, sweet, sad, and I'm sure all of us can relate whether we are gay, bi, transgendered, or a hetero crossdresser! It is a very tasteful movie but it does have adult language and images.

I have so many favorite scenes but here is one Judy's shining moment -- This is actually Peter Outerbridge singing in this clip! NSFW due to adult language!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSn01MLcUXA

http://www.annewheeler.com/films/better-than-chocolate/betterthanchocolate.html

Link to Anne Wheeler's (the director) site with a little more info on the movie.

I love this thread! I definitely need to check out some of the other persons and films mentioned!

--Charlene

[Bunty]

I love this thread! I definitely need to check out some of the other persons and films mentioned!

Yes, good thread! Your recommendation is new to me. Must check it out!

There was an extensive online resource called (I think) "Hazel Freeman's Transgender Film Guide" but it seems to have vanished. :sad:

In looking for it just now, I came across a promising alternative: http://www.tgmovieguide.org/ .

[Christen]

Already mentioned, but Christopher Morley in Freebie and the Bean. Seeing him look so convincing in that movie definitely inspired me.

Christen x