Ludo is struggling to be accepted as a transgendered
child in a suburban area, where the adults are all very concerned about appearances
and the status quo. When we first see Ludo, we are encouraged to follow Ludo’s
perception of herself as female, as we see her in costume and when it is
revealed that Ludo is not Sophie, the parents try to pass her dressing up as a
joke. This is one example of the film showing how many people perceive dressing
as a woman to be a lowering of status for a male born, as it is viewed as a
laughing matter to even pretend to be female. This is shown again throughout
the film in the moments of hostility she has to face just because she wishes to
be ‘pretty’ rather than ‘handsome’.
When Ludo is taken to a psychiatrist she asks to play
with the toys, she stares longingly at the doll and her beautiful hair, but
picks up the truck. All around her people are forcing her to confirm to the
social norms by stifling who she really is. The film never is over – the- top
with showing these moments of hostility. The odd comment here and there and the
ease in which these characters say them in a very off – hand manner makes an
impact, and we feel each one, the way Ludo would. Small comments, especially
when they are taken in all at once, can be devastating. The moment in which she
is playing with the truck shows how she has learned that she shouldn’t be who
she is comfortable being because she will only be made to feel worse about herself.
The adults in the film are pre – occupied with maintaining
an image within the community and therefore preoccupied with what others think
of them and their children. It is a very conventional community as the women
are expected to stay at home and be subservient to the man, who goes to work
and makes the money for the family. Ludo is therefore presenting a dilemma with
the way these people view gender. If a male born wishes to become female, this
idea challenges their perception of women being lesser is called into question
as being female is enticing to this young child.
The femininity that Ludo longs for is shown in her
fantasy sequences, where she wears beautiful gowns and is surrounded by pastel
coloured buildings and flowers. This is where Ludo’s search for her identity is
at peace as she able to break free of the realistic world around her and have
an unlimited vision of herself as truly feminine in a world of acceptance,
where she is happy and fulfilled.
The film has some beautiful moments in Ludo’s search for
acceptance and allows the parents to come to an agreement that Ludo made wear
skirts. By the end, they have finally come to a place where they can put their love
of their child above their fears of breaking social norms and being judged by
others. It does this with grace and subtly, which allows the film to ask
questions of its viewers about gender roles, if we care too much about what
others think and if we will put this aside to allow for our children freedom to
express their identity.
