Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival

In November 2020, I attended the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival. Among all the inspiring films, Transhood is the most unforgettable one for me. It is a documentary that follows the life trajectories of four transgender and gender-nonconforming children in Kansas City from 2015 to 2019. The film again reveals the importance of transgender visibility and the large support the LGBTQ people need. I also realized some of the current problems within our society.

Individuals who are going through transformation, whether psychologically or physically, deserve more help and kindness from the public than they do now, because they are facing more problems than we could ever imagine. Through the film, I saw how problems continuously emerge in each child's daily life, and I felt how those accumulate into an anxious and helpless feeling in their family. The LGBTQ people encounter so much more difficulty than just verbal bullying or unreasonable hatred – their obstacles are deeply rooted everywhere, including their basic survival needs. Although more people are aware of the LGBTQ group and will not take initiative to harm them, there are still many deep rooted problems and biases as the society didn’t take LGBTQ people into consideration when the social system was initially established. Our social structure and rules are incomplete, which results in letting LGBTQ people face problems that were never an issue for others, such as finding a job, socializing with friends… So, it is very important for the public to hear LGBTQ people’s voice and to have more laws to secure their rights.

Additionally, I learned things about the LGBTQ group that I thought I know about. I was surprised to see kids aged 4 and 8 in this film... I didn't know children would have strong and determined minds about sexuality at such an early age, but this leads to my discovery of another serious problem: the large burden on families of the LGBTQ people. The complexity of LGBTQ group adds lots of extra weight on the families, especially when their children are young, since children are more moody and dynamic. It is shown clearly in the film that the parents are often puzzled, worried, and distressed as they need to go through all the challenges as well. I still remember the sense of relief in the eyes of Phoenix's mom when Phoenix decided to be a boy again. So, it is crucial that we provide help and support both economically and mentally to the family of the LGBTQ people.

Last but not the least, I will never forget what Leena whispered to her mom after her surgery: "I am free." Everyone should have been born to be free, but the lack of support and public awareness took away the LGBTQ people’s freedom. Although I am not able to make any immediate significant contribution to this global issue, I can always pay more attention to related issues and advocate for them. I greatly appreciate the effort, time, and money Sharon Liese, the director, has spent in making this film. It makes me realize that the effort and work needed to be done to support the LGBTQ people and give them the true freedom are way more than I thought.