Contact:AnnaliseOphelian740A14thStreetSuite199SanFrancisco,CA94114

415.845.3434•information@diagnosingdifference.com

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LogLineHowdoesitfeeltohaveyourgenderidentityincludedintheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders?Findoutwhenthirteentransgenderandgenderqueerscholars,artists,andactivistsexploretheimpactandimplicationsoftheGenderIdentityDisorderdiagnosisontheirlivesandcommunities.ShortSynopsisHowdoesitfeeltohaveyourgenderidentityincludedintheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders?DiagnosingDifferenceisafull‐lengthlengthdocumentaryfeaturinginterviewswiththirteentransgenderandgenderqueerscholars,artists,andactivistsastheyexploretheimpactandimplicationsoftheGenderIdentityDisorder(GID)ontheirlivesandcommunities.Historically,non‐transmedicalandmentalhealthcareprofessionalshavepositionedthemselvesasthe“experts”ontransgenderexperience,creatingstandards,guidelines,anddiagnosesthatinformlegalpoliciesandmediateeveryaspectoflife.DiagnosingDifferenceshiftsthefocustoexplorethemanycomplexitiesofthediagnosisfromtheperspectivesofthoseitaffectsmostdirectlyandpersonally,includingaccesstomedicalcare,legalramifications,socialstigma,implicationsforpsychotherapeuticcare,treatmenttrauma,anddifferencesinexperiencebasedonfactorslikerace,class,genderorientation,andgeneration.DiagnosingDifferencehumanizesthedebatearoundtheGIDdiagnosisbyvaluingpersonalexperienceasavital(andoftenignored)formofexpertise.Ratherthantryingtocreateanexhaustiveexaminationofthediagnosisorofferclaimsofuniversalrepresentation,DiagnosingDifferenceispurposefullypersonal,seekingtoexpandtheexperienceoftheaudience,provokethought,andcreateasmanyquestionsasitanswers.Byfocusingontheexperiencescommunityleaders,activists,andartistswhoarepastorcurrentresidentsoftheSanFranciscoBayArea,thisprojectalsocapturestheintelligence,wit,andcreativitythatmakethisareaaworldwidebeaconfortransgenderrights.Usingthediagnosisasadeparturepoint,thesediverseandarticulateparticipantsdebunkmythsandmisconceptionsabouttransgenderidentities,challengestereotypicalgenderexpectations,andoffereducativeinsightintothetermsandlanguageusedtodescribetransgenderlives.ThisgroundbreakingfilmisthefirsttoexploretheimpactoftheGIDdiagnosisonpeoplewhoidentifyonthetransspectrumintheirownwordsandimages.

AdelaVazquezinDiagnosingDifference,afilmbyAnnaliseOphelian.©2009FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLC

OneoftheissuesformearoundGIDis,like,Idon'tgetanybenefitfromit.Forexample,it'snotlike,youknow,Icanjustcallupworkonemorningandgohi,thisisShawna,Iwon'tbecomingintoday.IhavealittleGID.–ShawnaVirago

Thediagnosismisseseverythingthat'sgreataboutmyexperienceasatranswoman.It'stotallyfocusedonpathologyandwhat'swrong.Ittotallydoesn'tgetatwhat'samazingaboutwakingupinthemorningandfeelinglikeI'mintherightskin,I'mintheright

identity.Soitdoesn'tcapturethejoythathappenswhenyoubecomewhoyouare.–JeannaEichenbaum

Theschoolcounselorsaidwell,allwecanrecommendisthatyoulockherup.Youknow,like,thatwasreallytheonlyalternativethatwasgiventothem.Andatthatpoint,iftheywouldn'thavelockedmeup,theywouldhavebeenseenasbadparents.SoIendupgoingintothehospital,verymuchagainstmywill,andwithinahalfanhourI'mdiagnosedwiththisgenderthing,youknow,presentsincegradethreeishowit'swrittendowninmychart.Andthenbasicallyspendmyentirehighschoolexperienceinmentalhospitalsbeingtreatedwith,youknow,prettymuchextremefemininitytraining.–DylanScholinski

There’sthishugestereotypethattranspeopleallhavegenitalsurgery,thatweknowthatsomeone'sreallythenewgenderbecausethey'vehadgenitalsurgery,andthat'soneofthebiggestmisconceptionsabouttranspeople.Inreality,thevastmajorityoftrans

peoplewillneverhaveanysurgery,andmanytranspeoplehavesurgeriesthataren'tgenitalsurgeries.–DeanSpade

Therehastobeawillingnesstoallowthoseofuswhocarrythelabelstodefineourselves.Letusbewhoweare,letustellyouwhoweare.Youcanhelpinformwhowemightbecome,butwealwaysknowwhoweare.Presenttenseisus.Futuretenseyoumighthavesomethingtodowith,butpresenttenseisus.Soyoucan'ttellmewhoIam.–YoseñioV.Lewis

Ididn'thaveaproblemwithmygenderidentity.Ihavemoreofaproblemofbeingawomanlivinginaworldwherepeoplewereobjectifyingme.Idon'tthinkthateverybodysufferedfromGenderIdentityDisorder.IthinkthattheworldissufferingfromGenderPerceptionDysphoria.–CeciliaChung

IthinkthattheGIDreform,itwouldbeagoodthingiftheyweregoingtoreformthedoctors.Itdoesn'tdoanygoodtoputitonpaperthatitshouldbethisoritshouldbethatorthiswouldhelpthecommunity,ifthedoctorsaren'tgoingtodothework.–MissMajor

Let'smakesurethatnomatterwhatwehavetogothroughtochangethisdiagnosis,orchangetheattitudewithwhichit'sapplied,let'smakesurethatwe'restayingrootedinthatfundamentaltruth,thatwe'rewholepeople,thatourgenderexpressionisdifferent

thanwasexpected,thatthat'sokay,evenifthesocietyneedstochangeinordertocomealongwithus.–RenataJ.Razza

ShawnaViragoinDiagnosingDifference,afilmbyAnnaliseOphelian.©2009FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLC

AbouttheParticipantsRykaAokiisawriter,performanceartist,andprofessorofEnglishatSantaMonicaCollege.

CeciliaChungischairoftheSanFranciscoHumanRightsCommission,andanactivistforHIVandtransgenderrights.JeannaEichenbaumisalicensedclinicalsocialworkerandistheformerdirectoroftheTransgenderRecoveryProjectatWaldenHouse.YoseñioV.Lewisisahealtheducator,speaker,andperformer.HeisontheboardofdirectorsoftheWoodhullFreedomFoundationand

Unid@s,theNationalLatinoLGBTrightsorganization.MissMajorhasbeenatransgenderactivistforover40years.ShewasanoriginalStonewallrioter,andistheCommunityOrganizing

DirectorfortheTransgender,Gender‐variant,andIntersexJusticeProject.

natoyiniinastumiik(HolyOldManBull,akaMarcusArana)isadiscriminationinvestigator,mediator,andtrainerwiththeSanFranciscoHumanRightsCommission,specializingintransgenderissues.

RenataJ.Razzaisatransgenderculturalcompetencetrainerandprofessionalcoach.DylanScholinskiisavisualartist,author,psychiatricsurvivor,andcreatoroftheSent(a)Mentalproject,amemorialtoLGBTsuicides.

DeanSpadeisanassistantprofessoratSeattleUniversitySchoolofLawandfounderoftheSylviaRiveraLawProject.

SusanStrykerisahistorian,author,filmmaker,andassociateprofessorofgenderstudiesatIndianaUniversity.

AdelaVazquezisanHIVpreventioncounselor,communityactivist,andclinicalcasemanager.

ShawnaViragoisasinger/songwriter,adomesticviolencecounselor,anddirectoroftheTrannyFesttransgenderfilmfestival.

WillyWilkinsonisawriterandpublichealthconsultantwhoconductsLGBTandtransgender‐specificculturalcompetencytrainings.CrewAnnaliseOphelian,Producer&DirectorMichelleLawler,DirectorofPhotographyKaliisaConlon,EditorJenniferD’Urso,Gaffer&MotionGraphicsSethLael&JeffJumarang,LocationSoundDanOlmstead,Post‐ProductionSound&DialogEditing

RenataJ.RazzainDiagnosingDifference,afilmbyAnnaliseOphelian.©2009FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLC

Director’sStatement

Ienteredthefieldofclinicalpsychologywiththegoalofpracticingtherapyasaformofsocialjusticeandworkingtorightthewrongsthefieldofpsychologyhashistoricallycommittedagainstlesbian,gay,bisexual,andtransgenderpeople.IsupposeIassumedthatasaqueerwomanandatransally,I’dbeabletostaytruetomypersonalethicsandavoidparticipatinginthefieldofpsychologyasaninstitutionofsocialcontrol.ButIquicklyfoundmyselffacingthecomplexitiesandchallengesofattemptingtoeffectchangefromwithinasystemthathasthepowertomarginalize,pathologize,andultimatelydiagnosedifference.Ifeltthismostsharplyinpsychology’sresponsetogendervariance,andasIconsideredmyavailableavenuesasaclinicianandaqualitativeresearcher,Iquicklybecamefrustratedwithmyoptions.Claimingtobeanexpertonanexperienceoutsideofmyownseemedlikepartoftheproblem,notpartofthesolution.Ilookedtomycommunityforinspiration,andrepeatedlycamebacktothreeevents:TheFramelineInternationalFilmFestival;theFreshMeatFestival;andtheNationalQueerArtsFestival,allofwhichshowcasedthecreativeandintellectualexpressionsofatremendouslybroadspectrumofLGBTQQIpeople.Yearafteryear,Ilefttheseeventsfeelingmirrored,validated,informed,andinfluenced.Ibelievethatoneofthebestwaystounderstandhumanexperienceistobearwitnesstothestoriesofthepeoplewholivethatexperience.AsIreflectedonmyparticipationintheseeventsandconsideredmyroleasapsychologist,aresearcher,andacommunitymember,documentaryfilmemergedasanidealmediumtohighlightthevoicesoftransgender,transsexual,genderqueer,andgendervariantpeopleandhonortheirpositionasexpertsontheirownexperienceintheirownwordsandimages.Mysearchforparticipantswasfairlystraightforward:Ilookedforindividualsfromdiversebackgroundswhowereskilledatusingtheirpersonalexperienceasateachingtool,withoutknowingmuchabouttheirthoughtsorfeelingsabouttheGIDdiagnosisbeforefilmingbegan.IcreatedinterviewquestionsinconsultationwiththeUCSFCenterofExcellenceforTransgenderHIVPrevention,whichIthenpilottestedwithasmallgroupofparticipantswhoprovidedfeedbackonthestyleandcontentofquestions.OneuniqueaspectofDiagnosingDifferenceisthatthestructureandflowofthefilmwasdrivenbywhatemergedintheinterviewsthemselves,andwasnotshapedbyapre‐conceivedoutcomeoragenda.It’shardtocreateafilmabouttheimpactoftheGIDdiagnosisontransliveswithoutinadvertentlyreplicatingthefallacythattranspeopleexistprimarilyinrelationshiptomedicalizationormedicalstatus.Thisfilmoffersinsightintosomeofthepersonalexperiences,thoughts,andfeelingsoftheparticipants.Itdoesnotandcouldnotclaimtospeakfortheexperiencesofalltrans‐identifiedpeople.ItismyhopethatDiagnosingDifferencestartsconversationsratherthanfinishesthem,andthatitoffersavivid,humanizing,critical,andmovingexaminationoftheGIDdiagnosisthatisbotheducationalandexperiential.AnnaliseOphelian,May2009,SanFrancisco

DirectorAnnaliseOphelianandnatoyiniinastumiik,HolyOldManBull.SanFrancisco,May2009

TechnicalSpecifications2009,UnitedStates,FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLCAspectRatio:1.78:1Availableformats:HD‐DVDandDigiBetaWorldPremiere:Frameline33InternationalFilmFestival,SanFrancisco,June2009Forpressrelatedqueries,screenings,andappearances,contact:AnnaliseOphelian,Producer FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLC 740A14thStreet,Suite199 SanFrancisco,CA94114415.845.3434www.diagnosingdifference.cominfo@diagnosingdifference.com

MissMajorinDiagnosingDifference,afilmbyAnnaliseOphelian.©2009FloatingOpheliaProductions,LLC