Gender outside the box
Gender-challenging film premieres in Gorham
Abigail Cuffey
Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: News
MTV's "The Real World," the show that give birth to reality television, took a step closer to representing the real world by adding a transgender to their cast for the first time. But while MTV was taking their time getting to the transgendered population, a pair of USM alumni were bringing transgender issues to the forefront of peoples' consciousness.
On Thursday, Jan. 29, a classroom full of faculty, staff, and students gathered in Bailey Hall to witness the premier showing of Alex Roan's "Gender Outside the Box," a collection of interviews with transgenders that hopes to shed light on an often convulted issues.
The concept for the film, ironically, came from a textbook. Roan said his entire idea started when he took a human sexuality class in college, and was shocked at the "misinformation in textbooks {where} everything was dated."
Alex, a FTM (female to male) transgender, is a graduate of USM and foundor of the Maine Transgender Network.
He said the intent of the film was to show "diverse experiences and viewpoints of those who are transgender."
Originally a project to educate mental health and social services professionals about transgender issues, the film's goal is to fill in gaps left by textbooks and conventional teachings.
The film is split into two parts, with the first part being comprised of interviews and the second being advice for health professionals.
Roan's vision begins with various images of Maine, reminding everyone where we come from and giving us a shared sense of community and belonging. What follows is a remarkable journey for the viewer, listening to the stories of transgender people.
All of the interviews represent real-life situations that transgendered people face. For some, it's just the lack of understanding by other people. For others, it's not knowing how to tell those that they love.
One interviewee, Dal, said it was at the age of five that it hit him, and he knew there was something wrong with this picture, he just didn't have a name for it.
On Thursday, Jan. 29, a classroom full of faculty, staff, and students gathered in Bailey Hall to witness the premier showing of Alex Roan's "Gender Outside the Box," a collection of interviews with transgenders that hopes to shed light on an often convulted issues.
The concept for the film, ironically, came from a textbook. Roan said his entire idea started when he took a human sexuality class in college, and was shocked at the "misinformation in textbooks {where} everything was dated."
Alex, a FTM (female to male) transgender, is a graduate of USM and foundor of the Maine Transgender Network.
He said the intent of the film was to show "diverse experiences and viewpoints of those who are transgender."
Originally a project to educate mental health and social services professionals about transgender issues, the film's goal is to fill in gaps left by textbooks and conventional teachings.
The film is split into two parts, with the first part being comprised of interviews and the second being advice for health professionals.
Roan's vision begins with various images of Maine, reminding everyone where we come from and giving us a shared sense of community and belonging. What follows is a remarkable journey for the viewer, listening to the stories of transgender people.
All of the interviews represent real-life situations that transgendered people face. For some, it's just the lack of understanding by other people. For others, it's not knowing how to tell those that they love.
One interviewee, Dal, said it was at the age of five that it hit him, and he knew there was something wrong with this picture, he just didn't have a name for it.
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