Format V: 15.05.1980: What am I?

Summary

Bob Warman report about transsexuals.

Year:

1980

Duration:

0:31:00

Film type:

Colour / Sound

Company:

ATV

Master format:

16mm

Description

This week the right for transsexuals to re-assign birth certificates and to marry is being put to the European Court of Human Rights by a test-case from Belgium. We are introduced to Mary from Mansfield who was born Lee and is described as a woman trapped in a man’s body. There are interviews with transsexuals about the issues surrounding their conditions such as the confusion with transvestism and homosexuality. There is also an interview with a doctor who describes the range of medical treatments, including surgery, that can be carried out both privately and on the NHS. We then meet April Ashley who was born a man named George Jamieson and twenty years ago changed to April after surgery carried out in Casablanca. We see library pictures of female fashion models (gender stereotypes) followed by shots of Mary trying on a dress in a boutique. Library pictures of male gender stereotypes follow (rugby, boxing, body builder). Next we meet Steve travelling on a tube train in London. He was born a woman and used to be known as Jackie. Both Steve and Mary are interviewed separately about the stress of going out in public for the first time after their treatments including issues around public toilets. We also see Mary visiting a Job Centre and she talks about the difficulty of finding a job as a transsexual. We then return to April Ashley and see her at home at Hay on Wye and visiting a local pub called the Blue Boar. Part two discusses issues surrounding birth and we see shots of new born babies in hospital. Mistakes are known to have occurred over the sex of babies but only those born as hermaphrodites can legally change their birth certificates. Interview with a doctor at Birmingham Children's Hospital about the issues. Shots of Charing Cross Hospital and Guy’s Hospital, two London hospitals that both offer gender identity clinics on the NHS, followed by views of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, which will also shortly be offering a similar service. Interviews with doctors and surgeons about what is and isn’t available on the NHS. Finally we meet Judy Couzins who runs the self help group, SHAFT (Self Help Association for Transsexuals). Judy was born Lewen Tugwell and had her operation in Coventry ten years ago. We see archive pictures of Lewen Tugwell working as a sculptor.


Credits

No credits specified


Notes

Production number 8066/80.