I understand that there is a post going around telling you NOT to support “About Ray” with valid points as to why you should initially invest criticism in this movie. And that’s the thing - criticize, leave reviews, tell them what’s wrong with it after watching it, but do not completely make them lose profit on this movie, and receive ratings that aid in nothing more than letting the media think that making a movie that will feature widespread, in theaters! about transpeople is not worth it!
Yes. We are oppressed, and we are forced to take the bare minimal more often than naught, but this is something. This is representation for transmen that help press the idea, through this character, that we aren’t just “women crossdressing” and that we are real, and that we exist, and that this is a thing that should be known super well by now. This little thing that yes, is incorrect in some aspects, is giving us somewhat of a push. Although we want, we need and we deserve to have our voice shown in a way that clearly, cleanly and accurately portrays us, please let this be enough for right now. We all need to start somewhere, sadly. But this is something! And we’re progressing more and more each day. And I’m so excited about this!
Other things to note:
- Realise that Ray is still a youth! It’s spreading the idea that a transgender can be valid at this age and that it’s not “just a phase.” It is real. And it’s not something that we’ll wane the older we get.
- Trans people do go through a lot worse, but this does show a lot. Ray gets bullied, Ray does hear transphobic slurs and is constantly invalidated (See: His grandmother saying: “I still vote lesbian”) even by family, etc.**
- It shows a mother trying to accept, and ultimately accepting. This movie, by the looks of the trailer will show other parents that this is not at all their choice, and though they fight, grow tired, want to see it differently, are distressed, he is still himself - nothing’s gonna change.
- This will be featured all over! In theaters! In those good Christian, Republican, Liberalist communities. They’ll boycott it too, but for the wrong reasons. They don’t want us to even have a single tid bit of a voice.
Which all in all is to say, I’m not entirely defending this movie, there are a lot of things that could be better. So many, dude! Like yes, the actor should totally be a transman because who can portray our community better than a person from our own? **The way they’ve worded things could go without inciting gender set bodies and that minds/bodies of transpeople are separate. And, the way they treat the grandmother as comedic relief instead of really messed up and cruel for invalidating him like that is horrible. But, I’m saying this incorrect volley of this topic out in the world can be redeemable, if it’s ratings prove to media that more representation will be worth it. Just don’t stop noting the issues, don’t stop leaving reviews, and don’t stop telling them how to fix it.
