Queency V.

Cantemprate September 27, 2021

GED109 – B3 Film Analysis 3
Transamerica
1. The main character in the film is Stanley Chupak but later became Sabrina “Bree”
Osborne. The age is undetermined as it is not mentioned throughout the film. But I’m
guessing she is in her 30’s. Bree is biologically male and had gender reassignment,
transwomen. Bree once had a girlfriend in college, but she thought that its tragically
lesbian, so it doesn’t count. And later, Bree found out that she had a son, and his son
came looking for his father. Bree is working at a Mexican restaurant as a waitress.
2. As Bree is about to transform into a woman, she portrays herself as a woman. The way
she talks, dresses, gestures, and walks, she behaves like a real woman because she
considers herself a woman even before the surgery. Other people seem to not care
about how she looks, but people treat her differently once they know her identity. A kid
was looking at her at a restaurant and asked, “are you a boy or a girl?”. She told this to
her therapist and burst into tears felt like she couldn’t handle it anymore.
3. At the beginning of the film, the psychologist is asking questions on Bree, and Bree
seems to be unsure of what she answers. It is like something is holding her back and
that her psychologist thinks she may not be ready for this. Bree told her therapist that
she had this odd call, saying that her “allegedly” son was a juvenile inmate in the New
York precinct system. Her therapist said she’d postpone the surgery unless she were
ready until she felt complete. That it’s part of her body, that Stanley’s life is her life too,
so the therapist advises taking care of this old business Bree had before going to
surgery. To find out if this were his son and that she had to take the responsibility as his
father. Bree had been so patient about her surgery, and she’s faced with this problem.
4. After learning that she had a son, she was shocked and found out that her son’s mother
was deceased. She was also dismayed at the life his son was leading. She decided to
bring her son back to his hometown, where his stepfather is, hoping this would solve her
issue and leave him there. Despite knowing the fact, her decision remained, and nothing
is holding her back to get that gender reassignment done.
5. Toby, her son, unfortunately, is an “addict” (to drugs), and that he roams around the
streets as a prostitute. Her mother died and had a stepfather who sexually abused him.
And that explains the behavior that he portrays. He takes drugs and a male prostitute
that provides sexual services to also a male in exchange for money. He doesn’t want to
go home (to Callicoon, Kentucky) because of what he had experienced from his
stepfather. And Bree, after knowing this, decided that she would be the one to provide
for his son.
6. When Bree and Toby are on the journey of going back home, Toby learns that the
woman who claimed to be a Christian missionary was a man. He was so upset about it
that he lied to him. And on their way, they encountered an unexpected situation. Their
means of transportation was carnapped, and all their belongings were inside the car; the
only thing left was Toby’s stuffed animal (monkey) and a hat. Fast-forward, they had a
free ride from a truck passing by and stopped by a restaurant. There they met a man
who offered a free ride to Bree’s childhood hometown. Bree met her family again, and
there, Toby learned that Bree once thought of committing suicide.
Bree’s family is still shocked after knowing that Bree will undergo gender reassignment.
“We love you, but we just don’t respect you,” her mother says. Her family also discovered
that the young man Bree’s with is their grandson. And Bree told Toby that she was his
father; Toby couldn’t accept the fact that the woman who proclaimed to be a Christian
missionary and bailed him out of prison was his father, so he ran away. Despite all this,
her family finally took her decision and offered money for her air fee to going back home
to proceed with her surgery.
7. I think gender reassignment should be legalized here in the country. Every one of us has
the right to express ourselves to who we are. And if this had to be done in gender
reassignment, I would say that this should be legalized. Though no law in the Philippines
states you can change your name and sex in your birth certificate and other legal
documents. Nevertheless, legalizing gender reassignment in the country maybe a big
issue and will be in a long process, I hope we do get there.
8. Before learning all about gender reassignment and before watching the film, I used to
think that gender reassignment is a simple process. By process, I mean the documents
needed and the procedures you need to do before the actual surgery. But no, after
learning all about gender reassignment and after watching the film, I now think that
gender reassignment is not an easy process. In Bree’s case, she mentioned that she
booked the surgery a year in advance. Imagine the desperation you had, and you must
get consent from a psychologist and sees this as a mental disorder. I also learned that
it is essential to have someone who supports you - a support system, especially in
making such a decision. Your family may or may not help you, and that these factors
may affect your decision. They may hate you for that and can cause serious problems
such as being suicidal. Lastly is that no matter what others may think, you matter. Be
yourself regardless of their opinions on you. What you feel about yourself is far more
significant, so don’t let other’s opinions affect you.