Boys Don T Cry Essay

903 Words4 Pages
Gender Dysphoria and Conduct Disorder In the Film Boys Don't Cry Synopsis Boys Don't Cry is a fascinating story based on the real life events of young Brandon Teena, played by actress Hilary Swank. Beginning in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1993, the opening scene wastes no time introducing the audience to the Brandon's chaotic life. Running from his latest encounter with trouble, Teena sets the stage for the frenzied series of events that lie ahead. It is when Brandon seeks refuge at his cousin Lonny's house that his true gender is revealed. Brandon Teena is in fact Teena Brandon, a woman dressing and behaving as a man. When Lonny's patience with Brandon's antics runs out, Brandon ventures to the sleepy Midwestern town of Falls City, Nebraska. He becomes fast friends with a seemingly wild group and even develops a romantic relationship with Lana, played by actress Chloë Sevigny. Brandon's charm and likeability allow him to create a makeshift family of his own. Just when it seems like he is getting the pieces of his life in place, his unresolved unlawful…show more content…
Perhaps it was the diagnosis that gave him the answer he was searching for. It is suggested in the film that Brandon felt misunderstood by his immediate family and as a result, he isolates himself from them. In the film, Brandon confides only in Lonny about his plan to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Although he seemed discouraged by the idea of living as a man for a year, he viewed the surgery as his ultimate treatment goal. Because of the stigma attached to this disorder in the early 1990's, Brandon went to great lengths to hide his plans for treatment. Unfortunately, once he is forced to reveal his true gender, Brandon's desired treatment plan never comes to
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