Randolf C.

Cabugawan
GED109-A16
“Transamerica”
1. Who is the main character in the film? Give the following details:
1.1 Name (Given name and the name she gave herself);
● Bree Osbourne (formerly Stanley Chupak)
1.2 Age;
● It was not specified, but I assume she is in her mid-forties.
1.3 Gender; Female
1.4 Civil Status; and Occupation.
Single, Dishwasher (pretended to be Christian Social Worker)
2. Describe the main character in the film. What are the gender roles that she
portrays? How does she cope with the norms of society? How does she handle stress?
How does she behave?
● For the whole duration of the film, Bree was taking up the role of a
single parent to her son, in a heteronormative perspective, it would
seem perfectly normal, in her case she is a transgender who is about to
undergo sex-reassignment surgery therefore it would be seen as nearly
normal or ordinary, despite numerous people knowing that she is
transgender, they believe that she wouldn’t be able to fulfill the roles and
responsibilities of jobs mean for women, as she may be perceived as
too masculine by some, but she did not let that bring her down, all she
did was show the world her true self. She may seem like someone who
has everything put together, but in reality, she was really struggling
inside, but she pushed through it, all to help her son reach his dreams.
3. The main character, was at first, not allowed by her psychologist to undergo the
surgery. What was the reason? Explain this thoroughly.
● The reason for the psychologist forbidding her to have the surgery, was
because she received a phone call regarding a son she never knew,
asking her to bail him out of jail, which must have shaken her up, as the
psychology may have determined. Before she is able to come to terms
with and accept her son, she was forced to postpone her surgery.
4. How did she react after finding out that she has a son? Did this influence her
decision to undergo the operation? Explain.
● Although she was reluctant to bail her son out at first, she decided to do
so instead and meet her son at the very least, when they finally met her
son mistook her for a Christian social worker who goes around and
spreads the word of God. Bree saw no reason to disclose the true
nature of her being transgender as Toby, decided Bree is a Christian
Randolf C. Cabugawan
GED109-A16
missionary. Bree talks to Toby, and Toby tells her what his dream is and
his purpose for going to Los Angeles. Bree offers to take him to L.A.,
and as the two head on to their journey. Bree experienced many things
with Toby, which help strengthen her decision to undergo the surgery.
5. Describe her son in terms of behavior. Explain his behaviors based on his
experiences and by using some gender theories that you learned in our class. What do
you think are the factors that contributed to the gender issues of his son? Elaborate.
● Toby’s behavior around the early parts of the movie was very
misogynistic, rude, and all in all disrespectful towards Bree. Because of
this Bree was reluctant to tell Toby the truth as it may end up hurting
Toby further as he was clearly violent in nature due to him being
estranged by his step-father.
6. What are the reactions of the significant people in the main character's life when
they found out that she's going to have an operation? Did their reactions and opinions
influence the main character's decision? Explain.
● Most of the reactions of the people significant to Bree have mostly been
of support, although there were still some who were clearly against her
decision as it is taboo and very irregular.
7. Do you think gender reassignment should be legalized here in the Philippines?
Explain your answer by presenting factual pros and cons of this matter (laws and other
scientific facts).
● Although there is no law regarding the prohibition of sex reassignment
surgery in the Philippines, there may be some issues in legal
paperwork, such as birth certificates, social security numbers, and other
types of identification. A case in the Philippines regarding the changing
of Rommel Jacinto Dantes Silverio, a transsexual, was denied a request
to change their sex in legal documents, due to RA 9048 which states
that it does not sanction a change of the first name on the ground of sex
reassignment. Although surgeries pertaining to changing aesthetics,
such as enlargement of breasts are prevalent in the country,
reassignment surgery is not very prominent due to its lack of practice.
8. What are your three (3) learning insights after learning all about gender
reassignment and watching the film? Start your statement by saying 'Before learning all
about gender reassignment and before watching the film, I used to think that (insert
thought). After learning all about gender reassignment and after watching the film, I
now think that (insert thought).
Randolf C. Cabugawan
GED109-A16
● Initially, I thought sex reassignment surgery meant that the doctors
removed the male genitalia and organs, to be replaced by artificial
female genitalia. I am no biologist I have no idea how the human body
works, I am studying to be a mechanical engineer this is way beyond
my field. Clearly, that is not the case, apparently, the male genitalia and
organs are to be repurposed and turned into a female genital.
Furthermore, transgenders really scared me before. I was really
disgusted in a way that they had to go through so much when could
have just acted how they felt like their true selves, but that was before I
watched the movie and learned about how the sex reassignment
surgery was done. Now I admire the strength of transgenders, they put
up with all the prejudice in society, because they are forced to hide their
true selves, and forced to act in a way they do not enjoy and to be
completely accepted by society as who they truly are. They undergo
such a painful operation, painful in my opinion.