Kyle M
Sexual orientation’s a life choice, and transsexualism brings the queer initialism to the next conversational level by respectful awareness. The realization accumulates from separated artwork over the years in thought-provoking summary over shared stereotypical patterns without much reverence considered. This documentary gives a reflective update over the screened culture’s influential depictions, but also how affecting the impressionable communication has been for those who are trying to find their true selves through visual examples since personal interaction could either go little. With that being a frequently understated value being misheard, it ascends the topical discourse’s generic scope as its own essentiality, empathetically attributing the narrative with weighing, invaluably vocal insights. (B+)
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
06/27/24
Full Review
Alysha S
I was brought to tears twice given experiences and thoughts that interviewees said. Also, the range of experiences shared is commendable.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
10/06/23
Full Review
PridePosterStudios
“We’ve always been here” 🏳️⚧️
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/14/24
Full Review
Audience Member
This documentary feels in many ways like it was overdue and absolutely necessary. Disclosure set out to address all the cliches and misconceptions around what it realistically means to be trans in juxtaposition to the trans experience as represented through the media since the early 1900s. Some misconceptions were devastating, such as the correlation between transvisibility in mainstream media + increase at which trans people are being murdered. And some misconceptions are just easy to lose sight of their significance, such as how problematic it is to continue to have cis gendered men playing transwomen on the silver screen. The narrators were compassionate, knowledgeable, and eloquent. Actors such as Laverne Cox, Jen Richards, Brain Michael Smith, and so many more, took time to comprehensively explain the tropes, stigmas, history, current oppression and created an opportunity to demonstrate that now, more than ever, trans people are centering themselves in their own stories.
In the true spirit of a documentary, I walked away feeling armed with knowledge, compassion, and a bit of shame about my preconceptions around transfolks. But at one point I consciously recognized the importance of the media and how they truly play such a large role in forming and developing individuals' opinions on things they do not know in real life.
While Disclosure critiqued the portrayal of the trans existence through the eyes of celebrities, it could have gone further to give voice to the everyday trans existence. The documentary showcased the feelings and sentiments of those in the films. But it could have also incorporated what emotions were elicited for individuals who watched these films as a part of their childhood from their homes, and how these portrayals impacted their own perspectives.
This connects to Kimberlѐ Crenshaw's lecture on The Urgency of Intersectionality (2016) when Crenshaw introduces the case of Emma DeGraffenreid. DeGraffenreid believed she was fired from her job for being a black woman. When she took this issue to court, the judge said that she was not fired for being a woman, because her former office hired women, and not fired for being black, because her office hired African Americans. However, they would not acknowledge DeGraffenreid's intersectional identity as a black woman, meaning they believed it would be overly-advantageous for Emma to claim to be discriminated against by both the identity markers combined. Crenshaw goes on to explain that the law, and therefore our society, have not yet accepted intersectionality and therefore people with multiple marginalized identities will continue to fall through the cracks. It is urgent that we cease looking at a flat dimension, a labeled box that a person fits into, rather than a three dimensional experience of a person. This can be applied to the many different yet intersecting identities of being BIPOC, queer, and trans, such as explained in Disclosure.
This documentary highlights the intersectionality of trans people's lived experiences; what it may be like for someone who is black, who is queer, and who is trans. And though 9 out of 10 people report not personally knowing someone who identifies as trans, Disclosure respects the humanity of being trans rather than salacious, historically inaccurate tropes by showing that trans people have always existed and will continue to be members of everyday society. Disclosure also challenges the gender binary and heteronormative assumptions in mainstream media. They challenge why media and films are only just beginning to center trans people within their own stories, rather than erasing or speaking for them.
In order for this documentary to be highly educational, I would recommend it as a resource for teacher preparation and secondary school curricular material. I believe it would be highly impactful for teachers and teachers in training to watch this in order to understand the many dimensions of any given student who may be sitting in their classroom. As Disclosure explains, we may have no way of knowing who identifies as trans because it is not necessarily recognizable; we must move past the tropes of bodily markers and become cognizant of the private experience of students who may be questioning their gender, identity, and sexual orientation. After the documentary is prioritized for teachers first, it could be very impactful for students at a secondary level, for those who are questioning or struggling with the very same issues. Because if Disclosure succeeds at anything in this documentary, it is making their audience consider life beyond a gender binary and how we must accept all facets of a person if we are going to thrive as a society.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/24/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This is important and I'm glad it exists! It definitely focuses more on the experiences of trans women in Hollywood than those of trans men and non-binary people, but I think that probably tracks with the levels of representation (good and bad) in media to date.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/17/23
Full Review
Audience Member
As a trans person, I approve of this documentary. :)
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
Full Review
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