Educational Media Reviews Online

In this video, which is filmed as a conversation between Matt Kailey and the viewer, Matt, a 48-year old female-to-male transsexual shares his life. The off-screen interviewer is silent. With raw sensitivity and a dry wit, Matt talks openly about his transition from a woman to a man, and the complexities of his changing gender role and sexual identity. He shows us snapshots of his feminine period as a youth, teenager, and later as a 35 year-old bass player. He recounts pleasant memories with his parents, who were liberal civil right supporters.

The video connects different autobiographical and psychological threads using short titled segments such as “high school,” “growing up,” “inside of me,” and worries.” In “worries” he expresses concerns regarding doctors’ reactions to his transgendered state, particularly in an emergency situation. In “gifts” he artfully describes the strength of seeing life through both the eyes of a woman and a man, while acknowledging the sex role stereotyping which exists in both straight and gay cultures. Too he describes how testosterone has impacted his perspectives of women. Throughout his life’s transitions, Matt has evolved spiritually as well, and embraces a world with no parameters and synergy among all living creatures.

Matt Kailey: A Conversation is filmed well, with a few exceptions. Throughout the program are black and white sequences of people walking, shot from the waist down. Also faint background music pops in and out sporadically. One might call these effects touches to break up Matt’s intensity. The music adds a bit of texture, but the black and white footage was unnecessary. Also, the last several minutes of the video was shot with spots on the lens, which are distracting.

As a personal story, this video is moving and contemporary. Before selecting it for college classes or programs on gender studies or gay and lesbian issues, I recommend previewing other titles to see how well this fits with instructional and collection needs. A longer documentary would supply additional information about what transgenderism is, and what medical and psychological avenues for support are available. As a supplementary program, this title works fine, and will certainly provoke discussion.

The press release accompanying the video describes Matt’s work as an author who writes on issues of gender and sexuality. He also speaks to college, university and business audiences, and for community groups. His website is: www.mattkailey.com.