Film Review (The Danish Girl)

GED109 – Gender and Society

Prof. John Mark H. Villanueva

Name: Agustin, Seth Jarl G. Section: GED109 – A4 Date Submitted: 11/24/2019

1. Who is the main character in the film? Describe him/her.

Einar Magnus Andreas Wegener, also known as Lili Elbe, is one of the first
transgender woman who has gone to sex reassignment surgery. He was born on the 28th
of December 1882 and died on the 13th of September 1931. He was married to Gerda
Wegener and his main occupation was a landscape painter. He lived in Vejle, Denmark
during the time of his career as a painter and died on Dresden, Germany due to his sex
reassignment surgery. Furthermore, her auto biography “Man into Woman” was published
in 1933.

2. What happened to the main character? What do you think is the main reason? What
are the triggering factors that led to his changes?
Lili Elbe was once a man, however, when his wife made him cross-dress for her
painting, it resulted to his hidden sexual characteristics and desires of being a woman
appearing. He felt more of a woman when wearing his wife’s clothes and also the make-
ups that his wife uses. One other factor is his first kiss with Sandahl that awaken the inner
woman inside of him that got to the point where they would meet up secretly.

3. Do you think that the main character has a psychological issue? How did you say
so?
I think the Lili Elbe experienced a difficulty which of which is her true identity. This
cause her to be more bold and playful as Lili but shy and disturbed as Einar. These caused
her to have dual personalities which then triggered a state of confusion in her mind. To fix
this, she agreed to have her last check up with a doctor which will then change her life
forever. It was her decision on having her sexual reassignment surgery with the
supervision of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld.
4. Using some theories that we discussed in the class, explain what happened to the
main character.
Lili Elbe was born knowing that her gender is male due to him being raised as one.
However, Lili Elbe who was once Einar Wegener, begun to change due to the factors
which triggered her female characteristics and fell in love with Henrick Sandahl. These
can be associated with the evolutionary theory which states that a change is due to seeing
the benefits or growth attained in that change. Lili saw that changing into a woman will be
her greatest happiness and thus clearing the confusion in identifying her gender.
Therefore, she act more of a woman since then.

5. Are you in favor of gender reassignment? Why or why not?

I favor gender reassignment for every transgender’s rights. In my opinion, gender
reassignment is never an issue. Reassigning his/her gender doesn’t have anything to do
with me nor does it affect me, so why do I have to bother? If that is their happiness, then
why should I interfere? Instead let them have it. Let them experience it. Let them feel for
once how to live in their fantasy. We should be thankful that we were born with the right
body and with the right gender because not everyone is born with the body they desire.
Changing one’s gender doesn’t make him/her less of a human. We are all equals in the
end.

6. What are your learning insights after watching the film? Give at least three.
I learned how people are already innovating things in the 1930’s such as the sexual
reassigning surgery which will then be a sensation to those who wants their sexual body
reassigned. The movie also taught me to pursue the things that makes me happy healthily.
If that makes me better of a person, then why not? Lastly, the film has taught me to have
the courage to pursue who I really wish to be, to have courage that no matter what
obstacles that may hinder me, I will still grasp it until the day I achieve it.