Ian Thomas Malone

lgbtq Archive

Monday

29

June 2020

0

COMMENTS

Dr. Jen Manion, author of Female Husbands

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We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jen Manion to the show. Dr. Manion is the author of Female Husbands: A Trans History, a fascinating historical perspective on the lives of people who transed gender, living their lives as men and marrying women, between colonial times up to World War One. Ian & Dr. Manion talk extensively about the book and the ways that many of the issues presented have resurfaced in contemporary discussions centered on transgender rights.

To learn more about Dr. Manion or Female Husbands, check out their website https://jenmanion.com/

You can also follow Dr. Manion on Twitter @activisthistory

Cover image courtesy of Cambridge University Press

 

Wednesday

17

June 2020

0

COMMENTS

Queen of the Capital

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Pride coverage rolls along! We are thrilled to welcome Josh Davidsburg and Muffy Blake Stephyns, director and star of the new documentary Queen of the Capital, to the show. Queen of the Capital follows Muffy’s campaign to be elected Empress of the Imperial Court of Washington, an organization of drag performers that raise money for charity. Josh and Muffy share plenty of insights from making the film and the history of drag in Washington D.C. One of Ian’s favorites from the Slamdance film festival, Queen of the Capital is definitely one you won’t want to miss.

Queen of the Capital is available on Alamo Drafthouse VOD starting June 20th. https://ondemand.drafthouse.com/film/queen-of-the-capital/. You can also check out the film’s website http://queenofthecapital.com/.

Be sure to follow Muffy and Josh on Twitter @MuffyBStephyns & @jdavidsburg

Cover art by Karolyn Popat

Tuesday

16

June 2020

0

COMMENTS

Sam Feder, Director of Disclosure

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Pride coverage continues! Today we are joined by Sam Feder, director of the documentary Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, which Ian had the pleasure of seeing at Sundance. Sam talks about the importance of visibility, the challenges of presenting a history in real time, and the responsibility of filmmakers to depict trans people accurately. 

Disclosure premieres on Netflix on June 19th.

You can follow Sam on Twitter @SamFederfilm and Disclosure @Disclosure_Doc

Be sure to check out Ian’s review of Disclosure for FanSided: https://fansided.com/2020/01/28/disclosure-trans-lives-on-screen-sundance-review/

Photo credit: Alex Schmider

 

 

Monday

15

June 2020

0

COMMENTS

Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court LGBTQ Ruling

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Big day for LGBTQ rights! The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that employers cannot fire LGBTQ workers simply for being gay or transgender. The landmark decision, authored by Trump appointee Justice Neil Gorsuch, represents a major milestone in the fight for LGBTQ equality.

We are delighted to have legal analyst & journalist Colin Kalmbacher on the show to break down the case for us. Colin authored an excellent piece for Law & Crime explaining the importance of the decision. In a brief breaking-news episode, Colin supplies some superb analysis of the significance of today’s ruling.

Be sure to read Colin’s article for a very thorough explainer. https://lawandcrime.com/supreme-court/liberal-and-conservative-justices-in-6-3-decision-agree-that-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-are-protected-by-civil-rights-act/

You can follow Colin on Twitter @colinkalmbacher

Friday

12

June 2020

0

COMMENTS

Teraj – Singer, Travel Host, & Entertainer

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Our Pride coverage begins! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Teraj for a fascinating conversation about the protests against police brutality happening across the country and Teraj’s career. Teraj is the host “Gay Travel Today” on Amazon’s Alexa and recently put out his debut album “Defy.” Ian & Teraj also talk about the role of Pride as an outlet for protest.

For more of Teraj, check out his social media and be sure to tune in to “Gay Travel Today.”

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IAmTeraj
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmTeraj/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teraj08/
Alexa Flash Briefing: https://amzn.to/2WMUJ3j
Website: https://www.terajmusic.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpHce1qpmSQZ4eGy-c0pXXg

Teraj’s music video for “Let Yourself Soar” that was referenced in the episode can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghhBjpp7YiI

 

We at Estradiol Illusions would like to affirm our support for Black Lives Matter and the movements across the globe. 

Saturday

9

May 2020

1

COMMENTS

World Cinema: Tomboy

Written by , Posted in Blog, Movie Reviews, Pop Culture

Gender nonconformity in children remains a highly controversial issue in the fight for transgender equality. Supporters of LGBTQ rights are often accused of wishing for the “transing” of children, putting aside the rather obvious point that all transgender adults were at one point, children themselves. Gender-affirming care is a proven method for alleviating gender dysphoria.

The 2011 film Tomboy features a young ten-year old child, assigned female at birth, named Laure (Zoé Héran) who adopts the identity of Mickäel as he plays with new friends in a small French town. Mickäel might be trans, a point the film leaves unclear. That clarity is not really all that important, as Mickäel would be too young for any kind of treatment other than a social transition, which makes up the bulk of the narrative.

Mickäel spends his summer playing with the local kids in his apartment building, successfully integrating himself into their social framework, even earning the romantic affections of his neighbor Lisa (Jeanne Disson). Mickäel lives a happy life, supported by his six-year-old sister Jeanne (Malonn Lévana) in a highly impressive performance by the young actress.

With school just around the horizon, Mickäel’s secret can’t stay safe forever. Director Céline Sciamma does an excellent job depicting the social dynamics of the young play group, crafting a quite compelling film with minimalist aesthetics. The film works really well for a while without much of a story, powered by some phenomenal acting.

Tomboy falls apart when it comes time to deal with the stakes at hand, an irresponsibly rushed third act that squanders the film’s ample goodwill. Films need conflict, but Sciamma doesn’t seem all that concerned with tackling the issues she presents to her audience so much as she looks eager to wrap the thing up. There’s so much depth to the family construct that goes totally ignored in favor of cheap sequences that play too hard for shock value.

Films obviously don’t need happy endings. Children can experience heartbreak and misery just as anyone else can. Sciamma plays fast and loose with her narrative in such a way that undercuts its beauty. The world is a cruel place, but there should be some semblance of an explanation for depicting such malice on screen. Sciamma throws it out there without bothering to explain or defend her film’s actions.

Whether Mickäel is trans is not really the point, though anyone looking to answer with a definitive no should look no further than a clay appendage inserted into one’s modified swimsuit. The child clearly displayed feelings of gender dysphoria. What comes after that really isn’t the point, as the film only covers brief snippets of Mickäel’s life.

The portion that we do get to see includes a lot of irresponsible parenting, a bizarre narrative decision. Sciamma clearly wants to explore gender diversity, but she’s completely careless in her approach. Tomboy is a well-crafted film, but one devoid of the kind of compassion desperately needed in these types of situations.