Boys Don’t Cry
Boys Don’t Cry is the story of a young, transsexual woman that is trying to live her life as a man. This movie depicts the last few weeks of his life and the problems he encounters. The intensity of his desire to live his life as a man, the fear instilled in those who discover him, and the question “who are you” are all societal issues.
We all desire to live our lives as we see fit without pressure from prejudice. The story of Boys Don’t Cry is one persons search for freedom, to live his life as a man. Until we have walked in someone else’s shoes we can not claim to truly understand their heart’s desire and why. We must understand transgender is not a temporary whim or an identity crisis and many strongly feel they are a biological mistake. Everyone deserves the freedom to make the best decisions for them.
Many times we are too quick to ostracize and judge what we do not understand. Will society ever be able to accept and not fear a male personality in a female body or a female personality in a make body? To be able to open our mind and accept others as they are begins with knowledge. We, at times, lack the knowledge and tolerance to let others have their freedom.
Have you ever been asked “who are you”? We have all searched or are still searching for our own identity. Life is about discovering our true selves and applying it, the best we can, to our everyday life. The freedom to be who we want and the courage to make it happen are the most empowering tools we have. We are a society searching for freedom and identity, where diversity is rarely accepted.
Boys Don’t Cry brings up many societal issues, such as, freedom to live as we each choose, fear of that which is different, and discovering who we truly are. As this story is told we realize many of these problems do not belong to the transgender alone, but to us all.