2020, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A

The paper studies Kimberly Pierce’s movie “Boys Don’t Cry” to find out how the patriarchal attitude of our society adds to the suffering and trauma of transgender people. The movie revolves around Brandon Teena, a transgender individual, who adopts a male personality. Throughout the movie, Brandon constantly tries to escape and simultaneously fit into the gender requirements of society. Male-dominated patriarchal society becomes the source of homophobia or transphobia in the movie. The paper studies how gender classifications and patriarchal notions such as masculinity stereotype and dehumanize anyone who transgress their gender classification. The paper also emphasizes, how patriarchal society others females as inert and does violence against them.