Like many of you, I was interested in finding out the true story of Brandon Teena after watching “Boys Don’t Cry.”  The ending was terrifying and knowing the plot was based on a true story made me really upset.  I had so many questions after watching the film… how did the community react to Brandon’s death?  Did the real Brandon have other girlfriends prior to Lana?  Did they know he was really a girl?  Was Brandon always this way?

Luckily for me, my Netflix recommended me to watch, “The Brandon Teena Story,” a documentary on the real Brandon Teena.  It was fascinating to see real interviews of Brandon’s friends and family.  I was completely blown away by  the police recording of Brandon’s phone call after being raped.  The officer seemed so insensitive to Brandon’s gender identity crisis and it made me feel terrible for him.  Furthermore, an interview revealed that Brandon’s worst fear was being touched by a man.

On a more positive note, the documentary revealed a side of Brandon that I loved.  Everyone described Brandon as being a total flirt but a gentleman.  He was described as being the perfect boyfriend because, being a girl himself, he knew what girls wanted.  I never considered this perspective and it interested me.  It was quite clear that Brandon was a likable person; he never would do anything to harm anyone.

I would definitely recommend the class to watch this film.  I am curious if people think “Boys Don’t Cry” was an accurate representation of the real story.   Watching the documentary made me appreciate the casting of “Boys Don’t Cry.”  Not only were the actors good at acting, but they looked like the real people they were playing.  I also liked how all of the small things, like Lana’s love for cows, were replicated in “Boys Don’t Cry.”