Outdated trans programs pt. 3

My partner and I uncovered a video I had gotten while in a support group about 10 years ago – a collection of trans-related TV programs from the late 90s / early 2000s.  We’ve been spacing it out, watching some of it each weekend.

The first weekend, we watched The Discovery Channel’s “Changing Sexes,” from 2002.  It was appalling.
Next we watched an Oprah show about transgender kids, from 2004.  It was surprisingly well done.

Part 3 was a program on A&E from 1998 called, “The Transgender Revolution.”

As soon as we started watching it, my partner said she remembered seeing it in a class at College – that’s pretty cool.  And her reaction was positive, like it had been worthwhile.  And it was – it showcased a few trans-people in respectful and dignified ways.  It was also the most political, by far.  There was a clip of Leslie Feinberg, and there was footage of Riki Wilchins talking about hate crimes and founding Gender PAC.  She talked about going to senators to get policies changed, and going to the APA to get “Gender Identity Disorder” changed.  Brandon Teena was talked about, as well as two more recent cases of the murders of trans-women.

The first portrait focused on Tonye, from Tampa, FL.  He lives on a farm, works as a sheriff, has a wife and 8 year old daughter.  He talks about all the discrimination he has been up against at his job.  He also says his community has been hostile – his farm animals have been killed; other times they have been turned loose.  He started an online group called TOPS – Trans Officers Protect and Serve, in order to get support for people like him.  He had to undergo an internal confidential criminal investigation at his job, which he says is just a pretext for prejudice.  It was left on an uncertain note – we don’t know the outcome of his struggles at work.

Next the program focused on Nancy Nangeroni, an engineer from MA.  She talked a lot about overcompensating and living as a very macho guy, taking a lot of risks.  The turning point for her was when she endured horrible injuries from a motorcycle accident – she realized she could not keep living the way she had been.  One great quote from her:  “I’m not a pre-op or a post-op because that’s not what defines me as a person.”  She founded the IFGE – International Foundation of Gender Education.

The third portrait was really moving because it was done anonymously.  “Terry” never showed his face, and neither did his wife and his mother.  He owns a construction company and lives completely stealth.  He equated being trans to having cancer – it’s something that you live with, and getting treatment is a matter of life and death.  His story focused on him getting metoidioplasty.  It was made clear that he needed this procedure to be legally recognized as male – he was living in fear of being outed because his documents all had an “F” on them.

The program wrapped up by discussing the extremes of gender in the society we live in.  Toys, etc.  “In time, the movement may leave America forever changed.”  A nice note to end on.