"Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She" is the personal documentation of intersex individuals whom have both male and/or female sex organs from birth, as well as individuals who simply do not subscribe to the classical gender roles society has set for them. In the film we see the challenges of intersex and transgender persons, as well as how views about transgenders or Intersex individuals vary across the globe. According to Dr. Cary Gabriel Costello in her blog "The Intersex Roadshow" she states, "While it is common to believe that sex is binary—that is, that all people are born either male or female—in fact, sexual characteristics exist as a spectrum. There is a great deal of variation in chromosomes (XX, XY, XXY, XYY, etc.), hormones (relative levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone), secondary sexual characteristics (breasts, hair distribution, etc.) genital configurations, and gonads (ovaries, ovotestes, testes). Intersex people are individuals whose sexual characteristics fall toward the middle of the spectrum. Approximately 1 in 200 people are intersexed according to medical diagnostic criteria. Most are very private about this status, though some are public about it." (https://lms.wsu.edu/section/content/default.asp?WCI=pgDisplay&WCU=CRSCNT&ENTRY_ID=1E37BB054E3C46C2A62E056B3753C45D)
Some of the arguments in support for the general thesis of the film come from the personal accounts of many transgender and intersex individuals throughout the world. Many of the individuals outside the Christian, Western Civilizations do not look upon transgender or intersex individuals nearly as negative or strongly as European nations do. Also, many individuals who are intersex or transgender have faced challenges, even among family and friends. Some parents fear greatly for their children, whom they love, but know that society does not or would not classify them as "normal."
You can see how this film relates to this course through the story of Noah in the film. Noah is a young boy who identifies and is raised as a female. He lives a happy life, but his parents are often concerned for Noah, and what might await for him in his future. Noah is often asked by other classmates if he is wearing girl clothes, but his parents often fear that as he grows older that the harassement may worsen. Noah, being someone outside the normal gender indentity, also runs the risk of being murdered or committing suicide at some point in his life.
An Argument or point I found to be most convincing was when the film visited a number of other countries that were not Western European societies. What they found was that while intersex and transgender individuals still have challenges and problems in their life, they are not demonized by society and in fact are glorified and respected in many areas of the world. I will admit my own iggnorance and state that I felt that intersex or transgender individuals were demonized almost everywhere in the world. I am happy to report that this is not completely the case.
An argument or point I would take issue with was this that this film does very little to address why western society has the anamosity it does towards transgenders or intersex individuals? I would have liked to see a bit more on the history we have hear, any policies or legislaton that has been put forth, and what we as individiauls can do to break down the social barriers.
The story that stuck with me the most after viewing the film was Noah's. In Emily Manuel's "Why does the media show transgender children more sympathetically?" she notes that the media, as well as individuals look at transgender children sympathetically, and that they can't help who they are. She continues by stating that people like to call this type of behavior a phase, and that the child will just grow out of it. They feel like it is their job to protect children from being something not normal. When I look at it, it sounds like adults are really saying, "We have to find a way to help you...before you grow up and we hate you!"https://lms.wsu.edu/section/content/default.asp?WCI=pgDisplay&WCU=CRSCNT&ENTRY_ID=1E37BB054E3C46C2A62E056B3753C45D
Or to put it another way...
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