The Brandon Teena Story: A Review
There are different factors that may be attributed to how people perceive life. For the most part, many people enclose themselves in a bubble in order to keep their sanity intact. Teena Brandon or Brandon to many, was one of those few people who suffered for living a double life. The documentary, Brandon Teena, chronicled the numerous trials and struggles that Teena Brandon underwent before she was found dead in a home in Nebraska.
The documentary presented was not like any other film. For the most part, the film showed how Teena struggled to become accepted by society. Even her own mother had difficulty accepting the truth about her daughter’s sexual preference. In this regard, this caused Teena to leave her home and experience the life she always wanted. The interviews conducted all throughout the documentary how great Teena was as a person. Much credit should have been give to the testimonies people gave for Teena. What was more heartbreaking was the fact that Teena was still murdered despite all of the injustices and pain inflicted by both John Lotter and Tom Nissen. Abusing her rights as a woman was not enough for these two to be contented with her sufferings. Instead, they did everything they could to make people hate Teena.
I watched the film numerous times in order to find possible answers to my queries. All I found out was that Teena was abused and manipulated for choosing to be who she really is. Yes, I believe that life is about making choices, and that the choices we make define who we become in the future. Unfortunately, this is not what Teena became. Her quest to reveal her true identity and passion in life were covered with the different stereotypes and perceptions people made against her. Each and every one of us should be able to accept the realities of life regardless of how difficult these may seem. Let Teena Brandon’s story become an inspiration to those who want to share their true self and inspire others to reach their dreams and goals in life.
