Ok I am taking this blogging thing seriously now. Mark my words. It won't take me five months to post again.
I just watched the Argentinian film XXY. It is about inter sexuality, which I believe should be one word but is not recognized by spell-check, and further proves the point that it is not recognized. I am taking Philosophy of Love and Sex this term and it is blowing my mind. It makes me want to be a human rights activisit, or at least work in PR or something where I can become irate and have it work for the good of people and not simply raise my heart rate and get me in trouble in class. (I have had to appoligize in several U of O classes the next day once I have cooled off.)
So the movie is about an individual who is assumed to be a girl although she has the genetic make-up of both male and female. A couple warnings: the main character is fifteen and if you are going to be bothered by sexuality of a fifteen year old child in general be forwarned that it is graphic. That being said, I think that even if you watch the film only to see your reaction it will be worth it. Does it make you uncomfortable? Why?....What does this say about the dichotimous gendered society that we live it? Is this the way it should be? If nothing else it gives a face to the situation that is horrifying for many because it is dehumanized or ignored by most. *Warning number two: It is in Spanish and Argentinian Spanish at that so if you are not prepared to read subtitles wait for a day you are more awake.
Several topics in class have made me think about sexuality, gender, and romantic relationships as a whole, but XXY has sent a surge of emotion through me unparalled by other articles and lectures thus far in the class. While the film is indeed intense it is not the film that has cuased the intensity of my state, but other's reactions to it. The most common comment I heard scaling the stairs after class was, "That was so fucked up." There was a lot of discussion around how "I didn't think I'd have to see it, they could have just put their hands down the pants and said what the fuck is that at some point." These comments and more were undoubtedly followed by laughter. The comment that got the most glee during the actual film and in the presence of the teacher was a line that went something like this: "Well that is good news; I thought you might be a fag."
The whole thing is appauling to me. I understand that on an emotional level there are times when people deem it a necesity to dehumanize others in order to face subject matter that might prove difficult otherwise. That being said I wanted to walk around to a few males in particular, pat them on the back, and say, "Congratulations, you've earned it; you can identify with the male gender."
In what way does it seem appropriate to declair someones differences (in relation to whatever we have declared normal) a result of some fall on their part? This is outdated and void of all empathy. You know, its intersting....one of the scarriest characteristics in dangerous persons a lack of displayed empathy, and yet in other situations our own society encourages this behavior. (So long as it makes things more bearable, understandable, or easy for the white upper-classs male.) It was said in the Bible that it shall no longer be said that the son should have a bitter taste in his mouth from the grapes his father had eaten, but each man should receive, [in effect] his own set of consequences. Thousands of years later we place diction over someone placeing in them in a category all their own and supposing our own position is one of greater esteem.
This is not a man bash. Just as I do not think somoeone chooses to be gay, just as I do not think that someone is being inflicted with justfiable punishment if they are trans or inter sexual, I likewise do not think that men choose to be born men and do not think they have any higher or lower standing than all races, genders, or abilities. The truth is I don't know what this is. I don't have one easy answer, but one sugguestion is that of diction which I will be writing on in my next piece. The truth is that I believe this idea of self entitlement can be traced back to Adam and Eve. I believe that often the strongest indivuals are given what is considered the lowest position in life becasue they have the abiltity to overcome. We have a lot to learn. I have a lot to learn.
