Abstract
“Clad not exactly as a boy but, rather confusingly, as the boy I would have been, had I been more of a girl”
- Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet
There are three types of sexes in this world. Based on genital appearances a person may be male, female or hermaphrodite. A person’s gender is based on their performances. Male and female are in respectable position but hermaphrodite is not. Hermaphrodite is also known as ‘transgender.’ It means a social status assigned to persons having sex characteristics of both men and women. When he identifies his real face as woman he starts to face the consequences. He acts as victim for getting scolds and insults not even from the society but also from family members. This paper throws the light on man to woman: rediscovering self identity through the film the Danish girl.
What Does "Transgender" Mean?
There are several definitions on the term ‘transgender.’ The most apt and the common definition are - the word “trans” means cross, the word transgender means “cross gender”. It can be transition of male to female or female to male.
The psychiatric term for transgender is “trans sexual” which means they belong to a gender by his/her birth but later they will identify his/her true gender identity. This transition can happen through hormone therapies and genital surgeries.
It is hard to live as transgender in this society. They are suffering pains in physically as well as mentally. They undergo severe pain after their surgery. Their life become miserable and they have to face monsters in everyday life.
Transgender in Arts
The term transgender is first used in 1965 by the psychiatrist John F.Oliven of Columbia University in the second edition of his reference work Sexual Hygiene and Pathology. Later there were several fiction and non-fiction published. From ancient times transgender have been getting attention in literature and films. Today, they are occupying frequent space in pages and screens.
For example Trans America, The Danish Girl, My Life is Pink, Beautiful Boxer, Boys meet Girls are the most famous transgender films. Cobra by Severo Sarduy, Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg, Gender Outlaw by Kate Bornstein, Man Enough to be a Woman by Jayne County are famous transgender books. Most of these works are dealing with gender identities, true love, physical and mental sufferings, cross dressing etc. Transgender literature is a developing area and it is study about third humans’life.
The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl is an American novel by David Ebershoff published in 2007. It is based on Lili Elbe’s real life who identified as the first transgender woman recipient of sex reassignment surgery. The author does not want to give as biography. So the book is combination of real life character and fictionalized writing. The movie version is adapted in the year 2015 and won several prestigious awards.
The portrait artist Gerda Wegener asked her husband, popular landscape artist Einar Wegener, to stand in for a female model who was late to come to their flat to pose for a painting she was working on. This act unmasked Einar's lifelong identification as a woman, whom she had named Lili Elbe. His wife supported him and helped him to go for surgery. Unfortunately, Lili eventually died of complications from the surgery and the movie ended.
The movie portrays the brutality of surgery and self identification of gender. Everyone has been waiting for THEIR moment. According to Elbe’s life THE moment leads to his tragic death even though he chose his own path.
Sex Reassignment theory
Gender-confused patients seek to undergo surgical sex change operations (also known as gender reassignment surgery) to change their external appearance. Patients often undergo psychotherapy, hormone treatment, and facial surgery as well. In psychology it is termed as Gender Confusion. It is a nonclinical term that refers to an individual's feeling of not identifying with his or her assigned gender. The Danish Girl is one of the best films which portray the self identification without any gender confusion.
The most horrible fact in this film is the transition of man to woman. Ordinary people do not know the results of sexual reassignment by surgery. People who have suffered can realise the pain. They may suffered by serious health problems particularly in their genitals. Self identification is the key for all these sufferings. If a person comes to realise that his/her body is not comfortable for living, then the controversial things start to happen. It is due to the hormone changes or the psychological changes. If they start to feel uncomfortable they will not live with his real body. They suffer by depression by these changes. They are unable to live peaceful life even in their home.
In this film the moment of self discovery starts when he tries female costumes and gives a pose for his wife. This makes up his mind to quest for his gender identity. Gradually he starts to find differences in way of his living. He finds change in his sexual life with his wife. He starts to act as female and allows dominate his wife during their intercourse. This is the major key change in his character.
The adaption of female costumes, changes in sexual relationship lead to self identification. It is merely rediscovery of her gender identity. He identifies himself as her and she decides to go for surgery without bothering the social order. Her wife helps to go for surgery. She relocates to Paris to escape from the scandalous society. He does not bother on the impacts and dangers by the surgery. His life is the best example for being what you are. People do not need to apologize being what they are. After Elbe identifies himself as a woman, he wants to change himself as her. He finds distress by his male body and wanted to change as female body through operation.
People have to give respect for another person’s feelings and emotions. We have to find their uniqueness and must encourage them. Elbe is not blaming the society for his tragic death. He claims that he is only responsible for what is happened for him. He blames no one. He wanted to live simply what he is. Initially he may suffered by the gender confusion. Within few days he came to realize what really he was. He prepared to meet death for his gender conquest. His life is a sort of lesson for all transgender who lives in current scenario.
Works Citied
"The Danish Girl." Fandango. N.p., 27 Nov. 2015. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.
Secondary Sources
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Conservapedia.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2017.
"Transgender FAQ." GLAAD. N.p., 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Jan. 2017.
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