The directors of Gendernauts, White Like Me, and Miss Representation each present compelling arguments through storytelling, but they each employ different tactics to reveal how their respective issues have permeated American culture.

Gendernauts focuses on the personal stories of several transgender individuals. These people share their experiences with the viewer through interviews but also by visiting the places they frequent and introducing others who have had an impact on their lives. Texas, for example, brings the viewer to Tornado’s house and while the camera follows them through a normal day with each other, each share (via interview) how Tornado acts as Texas’ mother. Gendernauts also includes archival images when Jordy Jones talks about his project on Brandon Teena.

The interviews in White Like Me are what stuck with me the most in regards to the content choices listed above. When various white people were asked what it is like being white, many didn’t know how to respond. The general consensus seemed to be that it was not something they were confronted with thinking about often. The fact that white people were caught off guard by this question and admitted this proved to be very effective in communicating the point I also raised in class today— that the facets of our identity where we find ourselves in the majority within our environment are the ones that we think about least.

Miss Representation included many images and video clips right from the beginning of the film which demonstrated the many ways in which women are objectified through the media. Many of these were movie scenes, commercials, and magazine spreads. Throughout the film, images and videos were used to demonstrate points about dating violence, criticized women in politics, female newscasters, and so on. Snippets of sexist comments made on radio shows and songs with sexist lyrics specifically shed light on male commentators, newscasters, and politicians putting down their female counterparts.

These documentaries use a combination of point-of-view interviews and stories as well as prominent examples in media and in history to drive home the fact that the consequences their respective issues are felt in many circles.