Guest Columns · Journal from Jakarta · Part 8
Soldier's Girl
Watched "Soldier's Girl" on DVD last night.. a true story about a 21-yo infantry soldier from 101 airborne unit, Barry Winchell, who fell in love with a trans-gender...
Barry Wichell
Watched "Soldier's Girl" on DVD last night.. a true story about a 21-yo infantry soldier from 101 airborne unit, Barry Winchell, who fell in love with a trans-gender stage performer, Calpernia Addams.. their love story was innocently romantic.. but then it ended very tragically in a horrific murder.. a truly romantic but depressing movie.. absolutely one of those must-see movies...
Barry didn't understand why he fell in love with a trans-gender and what his feelings meant.. he was a simple man from a simple family with a simple wish.. all he wanted out of life was to be happy.. being in the army made him happy.. Calpernia made him happy.. he couldn't understand labels and why a lot of people in the army hated homosexuals so much.. what's wrong with loving someone who makes you happy?
I'm sure we all wish for love.. that we'd find that one perfect person who loves us despite of our shortcomings.. that we'd be fortunate enough to love that person.. and that things would be great and we'd live 'happily ever after'.. but the reality is not as full of roses.. life is just so cruel.. the movie made me realize how the world is in desperate need of more comprehensive education.. it's urgently important to teach the generation about respect to our differences as much as it's important to teach them the latest science discoveries.. Barry Winchell and, earlier, Matthew Sheppard were hate-crime victims in a very modern country.. I can't begin to imagine what would happen to other Barry Winchells and Matthew Sheppards in other less modern countries.. the thought is just too horrific...
I used to think America was one of the best places to live, especially for young gay men like me.. homosexuality is a lot more open there.. however, the Barry Winchell's and Matthew Sheppard's stories kind of changed that perfect image.. I'm starting to think America is not as wonderful as I thought it would be.. homosexuality is still a very taboo topic in Indonesia, but at least here I know who my enemies are.. and nobody got brutally murdered because of his/her sexuality.. at least not that I know of...
