This essay discusses the gender issue that took place in the film "Boys Don't Cry". It was written for my Womens Studies call and I recieved an "A" for it's content.

Boys Don't Cry

In the movie Boys Don't Cry a lot of serious and difficult issues are addressed. Issues that tend to make people uncomfortable. Homosexuality, homophobia, and ideas about how women should act are the most obvious issues that were explored.

The main character, Tina Brandon or "Brandon", is a homosexual female living in a very homophobic environment. More specifically, Tina has the desire to be male instead of female. This is a very controversial topic in the movie and in the real world, as well. Some people refer to Brandon's "condition" as a sexual identity crisis disorder. I think that Brandon's desire to be of the opposite sex may have stemmed from her childhood and perhaps her relationship with her father. It is obvious that Brandon has issues with her past. This is demonstrated by her excessive lying. However, everyone has issues concerning their childhood, and to label someone with a disorder is unfair and doesn't help to rectify the situation, especially with someone as delicate as Brandon.

Brandon R. @ Beach Fork - Price Creek

Brandon Roy ..The All Star

Brandon

I think that it was a little ironic and disgusting how the males of the group responded when they found out that Brandon was a female. I think that they felt their own masculinity was in jeopardy, especially since Brandon dated Lana, an ex-girlfriend of one of them. They both felt conflicted and scared of what they didn't understand, something many feel about this topic. However, they acted out violently and exhibited their masculinity by raping Brandon and beating her.

There are so many more issues that I could talk about but I simply do not have the time or the space. All in all, this movie really makes you think about a lot of things that never crossed your mind.