The Martlet

Three key myths have been central in producing laws, policies and decisions that adversely affect trans populations, according to Dean Spade, assistant professor of Law at Seattle University. Spade, along with 12 other people of diverse backgrounds and gender identities, address these myths and other problems faced by trans people in the documentary Diagnosing Difference.

A free screening of Diagnosing Difference, followed by a panel discussion, is being hosted at Cinecenta on Thursday, Nov. 17, three days before the International Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR).

“Diagnosing Difference is a documentary that consist of interviews with 13 people who have different gender identities, so there’s transgender people, transsexual people, etc.; of different races and ethnicities who also have had different amount of contact with the health care system in regard to transsexual care,” explains Ariel Tseng, one of the event’s organizers. “So it’s really interesting because you get a lot of perspectives.”

The documentary engages with trans* people’s experiences with the health care system.

“Diagnosing Difference focuses a lot on gender identity disorder, often referred to as GID, and how gender identity disorder has developed, and the history of it, and how it affects, and how it has affected, the way that transgender and transsexual people are viewed and how they’re taken care of in the health care system,” says Tseng.

A diagnosis of GID is a trans* person’s primary point of access to many health services, something Tseng says can be extremely problematic.

“GID infers that there is something wrong with being trans. Also, the power is put into the health professional’s hands,” he says. “Trans people need to be diagnosed with GID in order to access services, but the definition of GID is so limiting and rigid that many trans people are forced to lie to be diagnosed, perpetuating stereotypes about trans people by affirming a problematic definition.”

Tseng is hoping the film will help challenge some of those stereotypes and misconceptions.

“I decided to screen the film because I watched it in the Vancouver Queer Film Festival two years ago, and when I saw it, I saw it with one of my friends who didn’t know anything about genderqueer or trans people at all,” says Tseng. “It was just a really accessible film for him; it was really interesting. He learned a lot and I also learned a lot.”

Tseng says the film’s accessibility is part of what makes it so important.

“It’s really frustrating for me because many people just have very little knowledge about ‘what is a transgender person?, what is a transsexual person?’ and it’s really difficult to find material and films or books or anything like that, and even to find the language when you’re talking to someone to explain to them the basics of gender identity disorder and trans people in the context of our society,” he says, “and I think this film does a really good job of it.”

While Tseng encourages everyone to see the film, he says it is particularly important for current or future health care practitioners. “This film is really, really encouraged for people who are in or considering going into the mental or medical health care system because it has a lot to do with the health care system,” says Tseng. “A lot of doctors and nurses who are training to be doctors and nurses don’t really think about the fact that they’re going to encounter trans people when they will probably, and it is a very good educational tool.”

The film’s timing is no coincidence.

“I chose this date, Thursday, Nov. 17, because I wanted the film to be close to November 20, which is Trans Day of Remembrance, TDOR,” says Tseng. “Its remembering people who have been murdered for their gender identity or gender expression.”

Every TDOR, a long list of names of those lost to transphobia is read out. Tseng hopes that, through understanding, stereotypes and misconceptions that lead to transphobia can be addressed.

“We need to be educating people and people need to be educating themselves about trans people,” he says.

Diagnosing Difference November 17, 2011 @ 7 p.m. Cinecenta Free