The movie this weekend was Transamerica.


There are a number of reasons to see this movie but if anything, see it for Felicity Huffman’s amazing performance considering she is a woman, playing a man who is really a woman. I was going to put man who wants to be a woman but after seeing the movie, transsexuality is a little more clear - distinguishable from say, a transvestite, and not being caused by any sorts of sexual motivations.
Seeing this movie revealed a very interesting thing to me - the extent that we empathize and begin to relate to characters we see in television programs and movies. Of course we do, we are empathizing, relating creatures and the industry uses that to their advantage. When we become attached to a character we are more likely to be attached to the movie or show. I’ve discussed this with friends in our conversations on Six Feet Under. We all felt that there was usually at least one character we could identify with. The rare moments of not having this relatedness were moments where we actually felt mad at the show.
The “test results” of my empathy came after the movie. Ali and I walked to Hell’s Kitchen for a drink and on the way I felt really awkward…like I was walking in a funny way to compensate for something. I told Ali, “you know…I think that after watching that movie, I feel like I am the man who is really a woman…like I have to forcibly act like a woman even though I am one”. Ali pointed out that my state was likely due to me understanding and feeling for the character, we talked about it some more and once we were at Hell’s Kitchen I was 100% woman again.
I was likely susceptible to going through that because it is easy for me to feel awkward with my body in some situations. Well, I am sure everyone has that to some extent. My awkwardness has usually been the result of my height. I’ve often felt like a giant, thinking that beautiful woman are small and delicate and that this is beyond who I can be. Thankfully, I am mostly over that : ) No more slouching so that I can be short too. Now I only slouch when I’m too lazy to hold myself up.