What does Roy in Normal want from a sex change - Assignment Example

of the Roy in “Normal” Introduction Individuals can be divided into two categories depending on the body appearance, boys and girls. They have different body structures, brain characteristics and physical appearances that define whether a person is male or female. Moreover, there is an inner sense of knowledge that a person believes in regardless of his body appearance which is called gender identity. If the gender identity is different from the physical appearance, the person does not feel satisfied in his physical body and the psychological disorder is called “gender identity disorder”. People with gender identity disorder prefer to dress and live as the members of the opposite sex. Gender identity disorder is a psychological condition that causes many problems. Depression and anxiety are among the most common problems that he has to face. However, these psychological problems can be overcome by taking certain measures that also include some medicines but the social dilemma is the hardest thing the person suffering from gender identity disorder has to face. Everyone expect others to behave and act the way they are physically born. Parents start dictating their children about appropriate behavior from very early ages. As many boys have reported the message from their parents that they do not like them to play with dolls or wear pink dresses. As these individuals grow up, life gets harder and harder where at one side they are fighting with their souls while on the other side they are trying to cope up with the body they are born with. Puberty is the most difficult age in the lifetime for such people as they see gender specific changes in them in the form of facial hair growth, change of voice, development of genitalia and growth of breasts. They hate these changes and reported to be disgusted by hair growth in case of males or breasts development in case of females. It is quite a complicated stage where some are unaware with what is happening to them while others are either not confident enough or ready to take a decision for sex change. Most have been found to snub their inner feelings and try living against their will because of the fear and restrictions of society and moral impacts. Though, this is very distressing and depressing to them and can cause other psychological disorders (Park, and Manzon-Santos). The same situation “Roy” had to face in the movie “Normal” who snubbed his individuality in another body for a very long time but finally decides to change it and live the way he feels to. After 25 years of successful marriage and fatherhood, Roy found the biggest secret of his life that he was a woman in a man’s body. In a quest of finding his identity and portray what he is in real, he wants to go for a sex change surgery. After announcing the decision of sex transition, Roy faces disgust and intolerance from his family and co-workers. Some understands his transition while others totally abandon it. Roy transition to be a woman is going to affect not only him but also everyone he is related to. Roy goes through an inner war between his social existence and psychological empowerment. He sees a psychologist to identify more about him and try to fight with the situation socially but nothing makes it better. His wife tries her best to bring the man he loved by putting psychological pressure in different ways but nothing works on him. Roy is so desperate with his life that he even tries to attempt a suicide but his wife saves him. His psychological disorder is totally empowering him with dissatisfaction and unhappiness. He feels like he has been snubbing his internal desires and regrets to spend the whole life in a body and appearance that does not belong to him. The final change he brings to his life is dressing in a woman’s dress, wearing high heels and growing long-hair. The change was more a satisfaction to his psychological needs than physical. Roy has not gone through a sex-change surgery yet, however, he feels happiness and pleasure with the change. There have been no hormonal changes that make him more like a woman. Even after the surgery, he will remain be a man anatomically as the surgery changes only the external genitalia. His genetic makeup forms him a man that cannot be altered.­ The whole situation clearly shows that it is an inner satisfaction more than the sexual desires that empower Roy. He was never attracted to male individuals sexually too. He enjoys sex with lmra, his wife, even after the transition as he used to do before. However, his relationship with his wife even after the transition of sex raises many questions to his children, especially to his son, Wayne who blows up at his dad once “As a man, you’re straight. As a woman, you’re gay. Does that make Mom a lesbian?” (“Normal”). If assessed psychologically, menopause in Roy can be a very important factor that enables him to take such a decision after so long. Before menopause, his male hormones were strong enough to help him snubbing his feelings to be a woman. He was busy in his life and enjoying being the male partner. But when the level of testosterone gets lower in the body, the psychological disorder gets in action and becomes so powerful that he is unable to tackle it. Even after the transition from male to female, Roy will be the same person with same desires and needs in different attire. He will love his children the same way as he used to do in a man’s body. The classic psychological scenario is elaborated in the film where Roy’s wife realized that how much she loves him even after his metamorphosis from male to female. During her bad times, fighting with her husband’s gender shift, she got attracted to Roy’s boss, Frank. Irma and Frank kissed each other passionately while sharing their grief. However, Irma soon realizes it was a mistake. When Irma kissed Frank she realizes the importance of love and attraction of souls rather than body needs. She realizes that she is only connected to Roy’s soul and the comfort she gets with him is unmatchable. Later, she accepts him as ‘Ruth’, the female version of Roy. Conclusion Transition of sex is not at all an easy thing to adapt. There can be unimaginative results depending on the social, geographical and religion environment of the person. His transition can affect his family relationship with his children, parents and other relatives that can be harsh to any extreme extent. He may have to face violence and prejudice from his friends, family or religious societies. Frustration and fear of facing the legal issues is another headache to them. He would have to get a new driving license, passport etc. Moreover, medical procedures are also very risky. He will have to do all those procedures ranging from facial hair removal to breasts implants. In short, a person going for a sex change has many fears and challenges that he would have to face. On the other hand, if he snubs his identity and keeps living in the wrong body, it may lead to depression, anxiety and can cause suicidal attempts too. Most of the individuals suffering with gender identity disorder are reported to have an idea of suicide at least once in their lifetime. In conclusion it is the choice of the person whether he decides to go for a transition or not and in both cases he will have to face harsh challenges that he must be ready to cope with. References 1. Park, Pauline and Manzon-Santos, John. "Issues of Transgendered Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders." http://www.apiwellness.org/article_tg_issues.html. Apiwellness.com, Octuber 2000. Web. 22 Sep 2012. 2. Anderson , Jame, dir. "Normal." Normal . 2003. Film. Read More