Boys Don't Cry

I’d like to give a brief overview while avoiding going into details quite yet. I’ll fill in more details and opinions following this summary. This movie is based on the true story of Teena Brandon. Teena, a lonely girl who would rather be a boy, cuts her hair and sticks a sock down her jeans. She then moves away from everyone who knows him. He meets another group of young men and women who would probably be described as “trailer trash”. Teena Brandon is now Brandon Teena. Brandon tried to learn how to be a man from his friends John and Tom and begins to date Lana. He tries to fit in by getting into fights, drinki

In conclusion, when you watch this movie, you really see all sides of the story; you can really get into the minds of the characters. While the gender boundaries are being stretched, you watch a group of small town off-beat characters fall into Brandon’s illusion. Brandon finds a girlfriend and a new family who for the most part turn on him when they learn his true identity instead of protecting him. Lana is the only one who stays true to her feelings about Brandon. This movie thankfully never places a label on Teena’s feelings, because they are too complicated to be lowered to a label. The potential for intolerance by some people is clearly illustrated in Teena’s rape, handling of Teena’s rape report and her murder. This movie makes you wonder what kind of sick person decided that Teena would fall to such a terrible demise when she is such a nice, well meaning character. Then you remember, this is not fiction, this is a true story.

To elaborate on the question of what Lana really knew about Brandon and when, did she not know because she did not want to??? Roger Ebert, in his critique of this movie said, “Romance is built on illusion and when we love someone we love the illusion they have created for us.” Lana wants to believe that Brandon is a boy, just as many battered women want to believe that their abuser really is a nice person. While Lana’s behavior is not so self-destructive, it puts into perspective why battered women may stay. (Not to mention the fear they feel about getting help and being alone.) Brandon made Lana feel good about herself; she knew what a woman wanted. This is most likely because she has spent time living as a female. But what really makes you whatever gender you are? Is it biology, the way you are raised, societal expectations? Probably some of each, and other factors, can affect your gender. It is just a matter of what affects you more, which has the larger impact. It is hard to say what affected the way Teena sees herself, the movie did not really go very far back into her childhood.

ng too much and running from the cops through an open sand field. He wants to be masculine, to have a different gender than the sex he was born with.

No one gives any indication that they know Brandon is really a girl until he is finally found out because of previous criminal charges that have caught up to him. Lana has been given hints which are shown in the movie, but she chooses not to think about it, she doesn’t want to see it. This may be part of how Lana is somewhat accepting of Brandon’s real identity; she really had an idea already. John and Tom on the other hand rape and severely beat Brandon. When B

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