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Raging at Amazon
I just read a comment I posted on LJ in June 2008 about a certain topic which made me very angry. It still makes me angry when I look at it now, and I feel I need to talk about it. I'm going to put it under a cut as the stuff I want to talk about could be triggery for some people as it talks about strong transphobia, including rape and murder. Please be warned that I talk about these things in detail. (I also use strong language.)
Let me start by talking about Brandon Teena. He was a trans man who died in 1993 having turned 21 only a few weeks before. He was murdered by two people who earlier had forced him to remove his pants to "prove" to his friend, whom he was dating, that he had a vagina. Later oh, they forced him into a car, drove to a (presumably) empty location, and raped him.
This on its own is absolutely rage-worthy, of course, and in fact I'm not going to tell the full story here of his murder as it's not really something I want to go into; if you want to read about it, the Wikipedia page has more information.
A post-humous film about his life called Boys Don't Cry was released in 1999. I haven't seen the film so I can't say what it's like, but you'd think that given the subject, efforts would be made by reviewers to understand what the film is about.
Not so. Here's a quote from the official Amazon review of the film written by Mark Englehart:
He was not "a woman masquerading as a man". He was a man, and that was his "true identity". By writing this review, you're not helping us; you're spreading the FUD that causes our deaths.
Let me repeat that. This sort of thing - the thinking behind the review - plays directly into the mindset that causes trans people to be abused, raped and murdered as Brandon was. It's why we have a Transgender Day of Rememberance for all those who were killed due to transphobia.
People like Mark think that our "true identity" corresponds with what's between our legs. Quite honestly, I would think that someone reviewing a film like this would take the time to recognise what that film is trying to tell them. I mean, come on. It's not too much to ask, is it? After all, the film is quite clearly not going to be of the entertainment variety.
I didn't do anything about this before, but I'm angry enough about this now that I want to try to get through to Amazon about this. Does anybody happen to know an official contact point where I can complain about this review, where I might have hope that it's actually noticed? I'm almost certain that their general support team is probably not going to be able to help me with this one, and I'd rather make sure my voice was heard rather than getting lost in bureaucracy.
If you've read this far, thank you. I badly needed to let off steam about this.
Let me start by talking about Brandon Teena. He was a trans man who died in 1993 having turned 21 only a few weeks before. He was murdered by two people who earlier had forced him to remove his pants to "prove" to his friend, whom he was dating, that he had a vagina. Later oh, they forced him into a car, drove to a (presumably) empty location, and raped him.
This on its own is absolutely rage-worthy, of course, and in fact I'm not going to tell the full story here of his murder as it's not really something I want to go into; if you want to read about it, the Wikipedia page has more information.
A post-humous film about his life called Boys Don't Cry was released in 1999. I haven't seen the film so I can't say what it's like, but you'd think that given the subject, efforts would be made by reviewers to understand what the film is about.
Not so. Here's a quote from the official Amazon review of the film written by Mark Englehart:
...However, there are shadows looming over Brandon's life: a court date for grand theft auto, a chequered criminal record, and a seemingly innocuous speeding ticket that could prove to be his undoing. Why? Because as it turns out, Brandon Teena is actually Teena Brandon, a woman masquerading as a man....fuck you, Amazon. Fuck you.
[...]
...The last part of the film, when Brandon's true identity is discovered, is truly painful to watch, but in between the agony there are touching moments of sweetness between Brandon and Lana, who wrestles with the truth of who Brandon actually is. You'll come away from Boys Don't Cry with affection and respect for Brandon, not pity.
He was not "a woman masquerading as a man". He was a man, and that was his "true identity". By writing this review, you're not helping us; you're spreading the FUD that causes our deaths.
Let me repeat that. This sort of thing - the thinking behind the review - plays directly into the mindset that causes trans people to be abused, raped and murdered as Brandon was. It's why we have a Transgender Day of Rememberance for all those who were killed due to transphobia.
People like Mark think that our "true identity" corresponds with what's between our legs. Quite honestly, I would think that someone reviewing a film like this would take the time to recognise what that film is trying to tell them. I mean, come on. It's not too much to ask, is it? After all, the film is quite clearly not going to be of the entertainment variety.
I didn't do anything about this before, but I'm angry enough about this now that I want to try to get through to Amazon about this. Does anybody happen to know an official contact point where I can complain about this review, where I might have hope that it's actually noticed? I'm almost certain that their general support team is probably not going to be able to help me with this one, and I'd rather make sure my voice was heard rather than getting lost in bureaucracy.
If you've read this far, thank you. I badly needed to let off steam about this.
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It's not just reviewers on Amazon. People include it on the list of films passing the Bechdal test because it features Teena [1] talking to his girlfriend.
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I'm personally not happy with Amazon because of their alleged working practices and institutional priorities. They're like the Wal-Mart of the Internet.
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When I was still Mormon I watched a movie about a Mormon missionary, but it wasn't until I read a review that I realized they'd gone the whole movie without even mentioning the church's name once. >.>; One character had said the word "Mormon" in a distorted voice, but it was a "blink and you'll miss it" thing. I didn't even notice since I was so used to the cultural tropes they were showing.
Sorry if I'm interfering. >.>; You could always leave a comment on the review at the very least, and I hope that you're able to get through to Amazon.
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Or maybe this is exactly what you mean, in which case I apologise for drawing this whole thing out. >_>
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It's late here, okay? >.>
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(Oh, and to answer the last point in the comment you thought was a reply to me - no, you're not interfering at all! Unfortunately I can't leave a comment as it's an official editorial review and now a user-contributed one.)
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If worst comes to worst, you could do like when there was a revolt over Spore's SecuROM DRM and have a bunch of people write reviews (of however many stars) that do nothing but correct what the editor got wrong.
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That doesn't make the review not terrible, but it's important to consider that man may or may not have been the "true identity" of (a) the character Brandon Teena in the film and (b) the actual, formerly living person who was violently murdered in 1993.
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I had been going on everything I know about the film and the real-life situation, and everything said that Brandon was a trans man.
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Where do they get off and what gives them the right!
-Lynni (Who wishes she had a contact number or address)