Gender Troubles: The Butches

Reviews:

“Gender Troubles: The Butches” is an engaging, informative, and thought-provoking documentary about the lives and gendered subjectivities of five butch lesbian women. Faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies, as well as in other humanities and social science fields, may find certain elements of the discussion particularly relevant for undergraduates today. This includes historical and contemporary meanings of the terms “butch” and “bulldagger”; interpersonal interactions between and among butches; gender policing and harassment in public spaces such as bathrooms and work environments; shaming from other LGBT people; empowerment, self-possession, and personal style.

The womens’ comments about gender identity are especially rich and layered. While they speak with complete respect for transgender men, they point out that they identify as women and that they sometimes experience well-meaning inquiries about their pronouns and intent to transition as invalidating. Because they are often misread as trans and because their female masculinity transgresses dominant norms, however, they share a wide range of experience in common with gender nonbinary and trans people. With a range of perspectives, embodiments, and race and class backgrounds, the five narrators create a complex and yet highly accessible conversation about butch womanhood and queer female masculinity that promises to deepen and enliven students’ encounters with the gendered worlds we live in today.

Amanda Littauer, Ph. D., Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University, Department of History/Center for the Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality

“Gender Troubles: The Butches" provides an authentic look into the rarely seen world of ‘the butch’- that female gender choice that is often so contested. The documentary would be a welcome addition to the gender, women’s studies and/or queer studies classroom as it provides a fly-on-the-wall perspective into the conversations and lives of women living with masculinity, and also as self-identified butches. What is ‘butch’? If you have ever wondered, this doc will fill you in. Highly recommended.”

Marie Cartier, Ph.D., Queer Studies/ Gender and Women’s Studies professor, California State University, Northridge Author, Baby, You Are My Religion: Women, Gay Bars and Theology before Stonewall (Routledge, 2014)

"...it gives a voice to a subgroup of the LGBTQ+ community that is being isolated and frowned upon not only in society, but also often by their own people: butch lesbians. The documentary gives five women of different ages, ethnicities and backgrounds an unfiltered voice to just talk. And that is incredibly rare in the modern media culture. The simple cinematography, the lack of effects, the few interruptions, all of this turns the documentary into a very raw, touching piece. This has been a unique learning experience, and I believe that it can be just that for everybody."

SFG Film Festival – Romania

"Excellent! Lisa Plourde's documentary is a gem, because it gives a voice to a segment of the LGBTQ community that is rarely heard or seen in the media. At a time when the dialogue about gender in the LGBTQ community centers increasingly on transgender identities, Gender Troubles reminds us of the women who challenge the social norms of gender every day of their lives, while maintaining and asserting their identities as women. Any serious discussion of gender, whether inside or outside the classroom, would be enriched by Plourde's documentary. I recommend Gender Troubles to any psychotherapists who plan to work with LGBTQ clients and their families."

Diana Shapiro, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

"Gender Troubles: The Butches" is a uniquely personal view into the lives, minds, and hearts of lesbian women who do not fit gender stereotypes. Evocative and enlightening, the film is a must-see for all students of psychology, social work, education, and anyone wishing to further their understanding of diverse human experience.

Rachael Masson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

"Gender Troubles: The Butches" is an important film for any woman or girl who is feeling pressured to conform to oppressive gender roles and the performance of femininity. Showing the film to women of all ages and sexualities really created discussion that helped us uncover the oppressive nature of gender in our personal lives and in society as a whole.

Beverly Aarons, Seattle NOW (National Organization for Women) at-large Board Member

Every high school student should watch this film! Out, loud, proud and female!
Audacious and compelling!

Giovanna Capone, writer, editor, & public librarian

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Audience comments:

I watched Gender Troubles several days ago and I have hardly talked about anything else since. I've been talking about it with my partner, with my friends, with co-workers, with my therapist, with anyone who will listen....Thank you, because the video clarified a lot for me. I'm a soft butch and I used to feel proud of who I was, but for some years now I've been feeling out of sorts about it. I hadn't put my finger on why that would be. Now I have a better of understanding of why it's felt hard to be me in recent years, but I also feel more clarity and confidence about myself.

Wow, this film made me proud, sad, and angry, all at the same time! Everyone should see it. I love butch women, but even I had to re-examine myself.

I'm deeply grateful for the education I received from all the stories in the film. This film is helping me in my process of realizing and releasing the internalized homophobia I have lived with for my life.

"It triggered a lot of things in me, self-hatred early in my life for being butch, my own internalized homophobia...etc....but it made me proud of where I've come to in my self love and development.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Where were films like this when I was growing up? I felt like I could relate to soooo many things they were saying! I've become so numb to not seeing women like me and this film was a breath of fresh air.