Transcendent Transgender

Queen Bee Luscious and Dred Gerestant, Venus Boyz

Gender bending, drag, genderqueer, androgyny, genderf*cking -- it is a gorgeous, vibrant challenge to the confines of sex and gender. It transgresses those silly little lines we draw between the constructs of "Feminine" and "Masculine." It embraces the idea that our bodies and our gender are two separate entities and it confronts the boundaries we place between the concept of "Woman" and the concept of "Man."

But what is a Woman? What is a Man? Can we measure the difference or is it mere performance for the status quo? More importantly, what do we have invested in the gender we use to define ourselves with?

In the films Gendernauts (1999) and Venus Boyz (2002), viewers are drawn into discussions surrounding female masculinity and other transgendered perspectives. Alas, I have limited access to both films -- at the moment, my experience of them has been dictated by the clips available on YouTube. But, I cannot deny that the stories are compelling and the act of blurring the binary is an alluring one.

In Gendernauts, director Monica Treut explores the outer edges of human sexual expression, charting the thoughts and the lives of politically- and socially-conscious transsexuals centred around California's Bay Area. The documentary guides viewers through the perspectives of numerous transgendered individuals including adult film star and performance artist Annie Sprinkle, internet activist Sandy Stone, and the patrons of San Francisco Club Confidential, a meeting place for gendernaut activists.

Sandy Stone offers a striking demonstration of feminine and masculine traits during one interview segment. It's impressive to see the immediate shift in demeanour, voice, and action acted out in real time -- makes you realize just how fragile the divide is between both genders:

In Venus Boyz, viewers are guided through New York's legendary Drag King Night and are exposed to a world of female masculinity where women become men -- some for one night and others for their entire lives. Within the space of their male alter-egos, masculinity is both parodied and explored with special attention given to male eroticism and power strategies. In addition, the film branches off into London where women experiment with hormones and transform themselves into self-identified "cyborgs." Gender is performance, subversion, and existentially required.

This next clip acts as an introduction to the main personalities followed through the documentary. I warn you now -- this is definitely NSFW, though, it's the weekend as I write this, so I suppose we're all in the clear. Regardless, some of the film's central issues are raised during this clip, so it's a vital one to watch:

Gender is such a fickle concept. I love the idea that we can inhabit both spaces simultaneously and that we can even go so far as to break free from both.

So, how about you? Where would you fall on the gender spectrum? Or can you even be contained by "feminine" or "masculine" qualifiers?

I feel the discussion has only just begun....