tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post5583298502534260116..comments2024-02-05T16:40:42.711-08:00Comments on Skip the Makeup: Pedro's Trans SkinGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-86785928332562983322014-03-14T14:23:02.808-07:002014-03-14T14:23:02.808-07:00Smita, the vaginoplasty which trans women have is ...Smita, the vaginoplasty which trans women have is quite different from the surgery you sound as if you're going to have (Repairing a fistula?). I don't want to give you medical advice about something of which I'm no expert. But best of luck with your procedure. Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-39571460670392987582011-12-01T08:32:20.267-08:002011-12-01T08:32:20.267-08:00I think this is a better film than Bad Education, ...I think this is a better film than Bad Education, which I thought totally exploited trans identity for shock appeal (at least this film has thoughtful questions it's asking about Gender). Almodovar, like any artist processing his own issues, tends to be all over the map on trans portrayals: lazy exploitation, genuine empathy, and profoundly conflictual. I would put this into the last category.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-11664316630682182192011-12-01T05:24:26.833-08:002011-12-01T05:24:26.833-08:00I finally saw the film last night (it's hard b...I <i>finally</i> saw the film last night (it's hard being a movie blogger when you live in the sticks). I'm still unpacking everything I think about it, but this is helpful. This film is totally an elaborate trans slash story made flesh (if you'll pardon the pun). I knew the "twist" going in, so I approached the movie with a fair amount of dread. Some of those fears were realized--the idea of trans identities being constructs of quack medicine, for instance--but Pedro surprised me. It was surprisingly humane. A friend of mine asked me if we give Almodovar a pass on some of the more toxic elements of this film and <i>Bad Education</i> because the movies are so good, and I didn't have an answer for that. <br /><br />Anyway, good piece. I hope my own posting on the movie doesn't sound like I'm parroting you, but if it does, I'll be sure to link back. <br /><br />Happy holidays.Vulnavia Morbiushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04722740955194993451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-78331081546518844332011-11-30T10:35:25.704-08:002011-11-30T10:35:25.704-08:00@GK: I think that point could be argued. But, what...@GK: I think that point could be argued. But, whatever, the film is clearly a parable/twisted fairy tale and not too hung up on the details or little issues of reality.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-35983073466947278572011-11-29T14:22:58.456-08:002011-11-29T14:22:58.456-08:00Vicente only attempts to kill the doctor AFTER sec...Vicente only attempts to kill the doctor AFTER securing a promise from him that they will live together freely. If he loved the doctor, that promise would be sufficient and he would have no reason to kill him. The reason why he kills him AFTER is, I think, because he was playing a confidence game, and once he had the doctor's absolute trust he felt safe enough to make a move to escape. Before then, any move that could have been viewed as treacherous would have resulted in death, or a return to torture and captivity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-45468393108491083662011-11-28T09:44:00.340-08:002011-11-28T09:44:00.340-08:00Antonia absolutely has a trans past, but she doesn...Antonia absolutely has a trans past, but she doesn't currently identify as trans or as a transsexual. She identifies as a woman. There are a fair number of people in the trans community who feel that way about themselves. And, yes, she's a wonderful actress and I wish Almodovar would cast her again. She does appear regularly on Spanish tv and on the stage in Madrid.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-70555144095838599482011-11-27T18:41:49.456-08:002011-11-27T18:41:49.456-08:00is antonia san juan for sure trans? source? i'...is antonia san juan for sure trans? source? i've always hoped she was (aaah it would be the best if i knew my fave trans character were actually played by a trans person) but google didn't make it easy information to find and even if she is trans it's not her obligation to be out about it, so...Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478982251242611064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-18522753096900811812011-11-27T16:24:35.272-08:002011-11-27T16:24:35.272-08:00@GK...
Interesting take on it. I had a hard time ...@GK...<br /><br />Interesting take on it. I had a hard time believing Vera couldn't have escaped as soon as the doctor and her were sleeping together. There are lots of ways you could hurt the person sleeping in bed next to you. But it's not really a film about logic and more about emotion, obsession and passion. Thanks for thoughts!Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-22008867247603771122011-11-27T13:38:38.053-08:002011-11-27T13:38:38.053-08:00Hello Gina. I identify as a transgender male\andro...Hello Gina. I identify as a transgender male\androgynous and saw the movie yesterday. This is my perspective on the film. I could relate to Vicente's horror as he is brutally forced and confined into a feminine identity. Even when his body is completely feminized and he is subjected to the sexual violence of the cis men in the film, he never loses his sense of himself as a man. It is only the audience's knowledge of sexist film tropes concerning Stockholme syndrome that tricks the viewer into believing this beautiful "woman" really does want to marry and have sex with his captor, his tormenter. Vicente then utilizes the sexism of the doctor to defeat the doctor and his assistant, just as the sexism of the film audience allows for the film twist. I was suspicious of this film as I could envision many transphobic interpretations of the events, but I think it is redeemed by Vicente's heroic resistance to being misgendered.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-88771185426601121332011-11-17T18:10:22.516-08:002011-11-17T18:10:22.516-08:00Hi Gina! Hopefully you will see this comment, and ...Hi Gina! Hopefully you will see this comment, and will delete it, I just dont know any other way to contact you.<br /><br />I have pretty much had it with the piling on of trans women on Bilerico, and the implicit and even explicit approval Bil gives this. I really would like to try to organize a boycott of Bilerico by trans women, and I wonder how you feel about this, and if you have any suggestions about how to go about it, if you feel it is a reasonable thing to do. If you want to contact me, my email address is caroldotteateratgmaildotcom.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />Carol :)Caerollehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148934880945851499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-67462650011888004472011-11-15T09:38:03.749-08:002011-11-15T09:38:03.749-08:00Thanks for your lovely words Julia. Yes, I think h...Thanks for your lovely words Julia. Yes, I think how the film deals with rape is at least as disturbing as whatever trans issues it exploits. Being a trans-focused blog I didn't talk about it as much in the review as I might have liked, but the rape scenes (and the fact they're being done to a trans-bodied person --and is she a woman or not being raped?) and how that might impact the audience's view of those rapes really upset me. As with so many Almodovar films, he's throwing out a LOT of mixed messages some intentional and queer transgressive and some very much grounded in his gay male assumptions about women both cis and trans.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11126067426459920339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-26038001331494366532011-11-14T18:32:54.895-08:002011-11-14T18:32:54.895-08:00Very nice review. I watched The Skin I Live In tod...Very nice review. I watched The Skin I Live In today and felt very uncomfortable because I knew there would be a lot of transphobic readings of this movie. I'm a cis person, but still I was upset to see people talking about how disgusting it was of Roberto to have sex with Vicente/Vera (I say both because we don't have a clear take on how this character identifies as) because they were transsexual, and not because they had supposedly raped Roberto's daughter! I know these people didn't know anything about transgenderism and transsexuality, but it's still terrible to witness such ignorance.<br /><br />I was looking for someone's take on trans issues in The Skin I Live In and you did a marvelous job. Thank you very much for your take on the subject.Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17575425608179376719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-50901144097824925382011-11-04T09:47:14.650-07:002011-11-04T09:47:14.650-07:00Gina, I need to speak with you. You can get me at...Gina, I need to speak with you. You can get me at monicahelms@earthlink.net<br /><br />Monica HelmsSeaMonicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08320773291540425533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774093333515644935.post-50472765996080113422011-10-25T15:13:38.015-07:002011-10-25T15:13:38.015-07:00excellent review Gina thank you - i have always en...excellent review Gina thank you - i have always enjoyed Almodovar and its great to hear he is back in his groove - when he hits it his films are wonderful romps - his films have always been fun, provocative well worth the time to watch them - i like your addendum too about the "twist" at the end. Your reviews have a perspective many of us truly appreciate.proudprogressivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05847907206540248082noreply@blogger.com