Connection, gender, and authenticity play key roles in each thread followed, leading to some hefty emotional moments. We get to witness is Dominic’s breast removal. When he gets to see himself, for the first time without breasts, that is as emotionally raw and true as anything I have seen this year. Rarely has a documentary captured such a moment of honesty. (Bring a hankie.) It is also frankly humorous in a way, during interviews with family members as they struggle with pronouns. “Wait, What do I call them? He? She? He’s a He now, right?” Regardless, the doc keeps things positive with forward momentum and a belief that things will get better.
“…keeps things positive with forward momentum and a belief that things will get better.”
The competition arrives. They descend on Atlanta, and experience their share of ridicule at a trans pride march, reacting by laughing it off. Such is the approach that they are used to taking, encapsulating their existence.
Who wins? Yes, you find out. Cooper gives us a clean epilogue of each subject over the credits. But the take away is so much more than a trophy. We are left with the idea that regardless of the skin we are born in, where we come from, or where we start, there is hope in getting where we want to be. Man Made is a beautifully well-rounded documentary that treats its subject with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.
"…connection, gender, and authenticity play key roles in each thread..."
