#Dysphoric – A four-part documentary series by Vaishanvi Sundar

I am quoting the synopsis from the movie crew, as I feel that there can be no better way to clearly communicate what this documentary series is all about. 

Synopsis:

In this dystopian world where misogyny is rampant, and womanhood is commodified, being female comes at a cost. Corporates capitalise on women's bodies blurring the lines of biological sex and profiting from the empirically untested pseudo-science of queer theory. This gaslighting is aided by the complicity of media, academia, legal and the political world. It is no surprise that young girls are fleeing womanhood like a house on fire.

The past decade has seen a steep rise in the number of young girls seeking to transition by undergoing life threatening, irreversible procedures. ‘Dysphoric’ is a four-part documentary series on the rise of Gender Identity Ideology, its effects on women and girls - especially in developing countries. 

The film explores gender transition, the permanent medical side-effects of hormones and surgeries, the propaganda by 'woke' corporations that glorifies thousands of stereotypical gender presentations coalesced as fashion, a surge in pronoun policing; language hijacking that calls women ‘menstruators’, and the many hurdles women face while trying to question this modern-day misogyny. The film amplifies the voices of detransitioners, clinicians, psychiatrists, sociologists, feminists, academics and concerned citizens.

I was intrigued to watch the documentary series because of the message on the director’s FB timeline, which stated that she would keep uploading every time it gets pulled down. She also is looking for someone to help her to write or talk about this on mainstream media, as she feels that this needs to get attention and discussed as well and I concur. 

The series talks about the narrative surrounding the #GenderDysphoria diagnosis, ensuing hormone-blocking practices, and gender change surgeries by professionals, dissenters, and detransitioners, highlighting the various issues including certain gaps in processes that need to be followed. The focus is on the traumatic experience of the whole transitioning and detransitioning process, which includes not just the physical trauma, but also the emotional rollercoaster and the most pertinent question of ‘informed consent’ for gender change procedures and surgeries by children younger than 16 years of age, when they are developmentally too young to understand the concept of static duality of biological sex and gender identity. 

The 4-part series progressively addresses the various layers of issues surrounding this and why it is essential that we all understand and remain curious about what Gender Dysphoria (#GD) means, without oversimplifying the equation of #GD and Gender Identity. As we view one part after the other, we realise why it is important to create safe spaces to talk about the condition much longer, go through therapy to delve deeper and understand the condition before arriving at a concrete course of action addressing the GD, especially if the action is to embark on an irreversible physical life-altering decision!

There are #detransitioners and #dissenters, their family and therapist also sharing their journey and hence I think this documentary needs to be watched by anyone and everyone as gives a perspective that is easily relatable, irrespective of who you are. Please take some time out to watch this series and understand more about Gender Dysphoria and its ramifications in our world, especially for a woman. 

This post is part of #CauseAChatter with Blogchatter. #LiftEveryVoice