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We had an interesting talk about Transamerica and transgender in today's class. I looked up the definiton of gender dysphoria and it said it is, "literally being uncomfortable with one's assigned gender." In the DSM there are five criteria in order to be diagonosed with Gender Dysphoria. I think it is interesting that Gender Identity Disorder is still in the DSM while homosexuality was taken out. Stanley or Bree was just trying to find an identity and did not feel right in her body so in order to find his identity he changed he transformed. Self actualization is the need to strive and become the best that they can be with their abilities. The most interesting part in the film Transamerica, to me, was when the little child asked Bree if he was a man or a woman. The girl saw through Bree and made Bree doubt herself because she thought she looked like a woman except for her penis. She had the breast implants, long hair, makeup and polished nails but the little child could still see the in between of man and woman in Bree. I also thought it was interesting how they made Toby look like a bisexual becuase it did not seem like he mined when he hustled guys for money. Toby was also accepting when he found out that Bree had a penis. Transamerica is an interesting film that deals with transgender, and homosexuality.
I read Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid and was surprised how different it was from the film. I liked how he had that when the youngest princess' fins turn into 2 legs it hurts when they change and when she walks. I also liked how the grandma said to the mermaid, "you must put up with a good deal to keep up appearances" after the little mermaid said, "that hurts" when the grandmother was putting on the eight big oysters to the princess' tail. I think that is true for women in society; beauty can hurt. Especially for models because they have to be so skinny, sometimes wear very tight and uncomfortable clothes, in addition women put on makeup like mascara which can hurt the eyes, have bikini waxes, and in some cases electrolyosis. Some women even go to the extreme of plastic surgery which is risky, complicaitons could occur, and does not feel well. In addition, men and women are putting poision in their face (Botox) in order to decrease wrinkles which I think is dangerous and crazy. THere are also many other differences in the story by Anderson and the Disney movie including the ending and the princess in Anderson's story had no name. I agree with Laura Sells article, "Where Do the Mermaids Stand" because she had good points, Ariel was the first women Disney role model, and Ariel did not seem to have ambitions instead she just wanted to marry the Prince. Many gender issues were addressed in Anderson's story, Sells' article and The Little Mermaid.