Now Ex Sergeant Elliot Blackstone Analysis
When faced with the task of making changes, referencing individuals in history becomes the norm. The individuals that banded together against injustices for the betterment of others, the individuals who were opposed and wanted nothing more than to see them extinguished and most importantly, the individuals who lost their lives in the fight and are immortalized as the ones who could do no wrong. History is littered with these perfect victims, the ones that evoke sympathy from their studiers. The ones that have somehow crossed from being remembered to being innocent. By honoring their memory, we, as witnesses of their legacy, are somehow absolved of any wrongdoing because its right to empathize with these people. Unfortunately, with documentaries
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In the film he expresses how he did not support their protests during the time, but then goes on to say that most of the police could have handled the situation better during the time. Even after the riots, when Blackstone became an “advocate”, for the trans community, his “job was to get people to understand how to live their lifestyle along with the rest of the city.” Not once did he call himself an ally, and not once did he say he supported the cause. Stryker even includes a joke Blackstone made that reinforces male homosociality about “...[knowing] nothing about sexuality except that [he] enjoyed sex”, shortly afterward a picture of him kissing a woman is shown. Stryker presents us with this man, who is proudly heterosexual and presents no reason for affiliation with the trans community other than it being his job, but because of the work he did, the audience gets to feel sorry for him when they find out he was framed so that he would be fired from the work he was doing.
Stonewall Uprising is no better. This film documents the nights leading up to the Stonewall riots in 1969. Every talking head featured in this film is white. Every actor portraying the rioters is white. The film would have you believe that the only people involved in Stonewall were white, cisgendered
In the film he expresses how he did not support their protests during the time, but then goes on to say that most of the police could have handled the situation better during the time. Even after the riots, when Blackstone became an “advocate”, for the trans community, his “job was to get people to understand how to live their lifestyle along with the rest of the city.” Not once did he call himself an ally, and not once did he say he supported the cause. Stryker even includes a joke Blackstone made that reinforces male homosociality about “...[knowing] nothing about sexuality except that [he] enjoyed sex”, shortly afterward a picture of him kissing a woman is shown. Stryker presents us with this man, who is proudly heterosexual and presents no reason for affiliation with the trans community other than it being his job, but because of the work he did, the audience gets to feel sorry for him when they find out he was framed so that he would be fired from the work he was doing.
Stonewall Uprising is no better. This film documents the nights leading up to the Stonewall riots in 1969. Every talking head featured in this film is white. Every actor portraying the rioters is white. The film would have you believe that the only people involved in Stonewall were white, cisgendered