MovieChat Forums > Transamerica (2006) Discussion > Did Calvin Minigoats know Bree was a tra...

Did Calvin Minigoats know Bree was a transsexual?


Topic says it all.

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Nope.

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I think maybe at some subconscious level, he knew that Bree wasn't "natural" natural, but he liked her still for who she was (the inner beauty).

I have a message for Germany...

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The man's name was Manygoats but I like Minigoats better.

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I thought it was "many coats" Guess it is better than 2 dogs...

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If the characters in this movie were real, I wish Bree would go back to New Mexico and look up Manygoats after she's healed from her surgery. Supposedly, that's when she's most comfortable in her own skin. What better time to start a friendship/relationship?



No two persons ever watch the same movie.

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I kept thinking the same thing. The way it was played out, I thought they were foreshadowing a potential relationship. Instead it was a vehicle intended to open Toby's eyes towards acceptance.

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Sic vis pacem para bellum.

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Transamerica 2 anyone? The Bree and Calvin story? Totally kidding. Wonderful, brave movie.


No Louis, you're mistaken. It's not me.

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I don't think he knew, but maybe he would have accepted it or been all right with it.

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I think Everwoodfan is right: I don't think he knew that Bree was transgendered but I think he might have accepted it or been alright with it.

Calvin liked Bree for who she was when he met her(not surgically altered yet).
I think Calvin would probably accept Bree because he laid out all his "faults" about being in jail and his leg being more shrapnel (?) or steel..injured anyway..not his real body...
I think that sets the tone of his understanding that no one is perfect or always what they seem to be on the outside. I am almost positive that he doesn't know that Bree is transsexual but he probably could live with that based on his "confession" of his faults when they say goodbye to each other.



*Kirk Lazarus doesn't break character till the DVD commentary but
Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't break character until the night of the Academy Awards.*

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I'm going to guess that he didn't know. Although most transsexuals, despite "living stealth," are pretty obvious, it was established in one of the first scenes that Bree looked "authentic." Except for the little girl in the restaurant, nobody else seemed to question Bree's womanhood. Plus, Calvin was partially blind in one eye.

I am curious though how Calvin would have reacted if he had found out. It seemed obvious he was courting Bree, although nothing romantic happened. Would he have acted in anger? Would he have shunned her? Would he have been okay, but not want to pursue a relationship? Or would he have accepted her? I guess each viewer would have to make up their own mind regarding that.

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I know I said in a previous post that Calvin probably would have accepted Bree as a transgendered person because he lists all his faults, most of which are physical...he knows people aren't perfect. But I have been thinking about this from time to time and I have come to the conclusion that although Calvin would PROBABLY accept Bree for who she is (or rather what she has become) I could just as easily see Calvin taking out a shot gun and pointing it at her and telling her to get out. Heck, I could see him blowing his own brains out for being so "naive", lol. Seriously though, it's like the previous poster said..it is left open so we can make our own decision about Calvin accepting Bree.
Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't break character until the night of the Academy Awards.

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No way to your scenario, uberbitch.

Calvin is a mature person who has transcended judging other people. He has learned to accept and admit to his own faults. This is typical of wise people over 50, as well as grounded native Americans.

There may never be a sexual relationship between Bree and calvin, but they likely would be distant friends.

http://vincentandmorticiasspeakeasy14846.yuku.com/directory]

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I'm probably alone here, but I felt like Calvin possibly understood there was something somewhat different (I won't say something 'off' about her, as that's quite insulting) or unusual about Bree. If anything, I'm almost certain he knew; he seemed perceptive and he had this certain look that seemed to indicate he knew exactly what was going on, which is why he didn't let Toby elaborate any further.


I think his perception is what prompted him to begin his speech about the things she didn't know about him. I felt like he was waiting for her to explain to him about her gender. I honestly think he would have accepted it.

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I agree with angelexposed, I got the same impression.

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[deleted]

[deleted]

Yes, I'm absolutely certain that he did.

Previous writers in this thread have writen that the writers inserted Calvin's lines about his faults (including physical faults) in order to foreshadow his possible acceptance of Bree and her transsexual history, but I think the simpler, more logical explanation for Calvin's comments is that he realised Bree's situation, and he was making these comments to say to her "look at me, I have my flaws too - including physical shortcommings", and that the conversation would have gone there if they weren't interrupted. I also concur with angelexposed's comment about Calvin's reason for cutting short Toby's comment/insinuation - that Calvin already knew, and he wouldn't let Toby talk about Bree in that way.

A different poster here made a comment stating that Calvin might aim a gun at Bree if he knew about her transsexual history, but I think that it ridiculous, as his conversation with Bree about matrilineal descent gave me the impression that his people are either matriarchal, or at least not entirely patriarchal, and the entire tone of the conversation seemed to imply that he was not in any way misogynist, sexist, "rednecked" or anything of the sort, but was instead a wise, "old soul" who was above such insecure judgementalism.

Personally, I thought it was quite blatantly clear that Calvin knew about Bree's transsexualism, and the fact that he was clearly making a pass at her too without trying to discuss "where in the process she was", as it were, most likely indicated that it wasn't a concern for him whether Bree had undergone genital surgery or not, because as far as Calvin was concerned, Bree was not only a woman, but a lady, regardless of her medical status... and Cavin certainly treated Bree as such.

Violet

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He knew, of course.
Toby was only seventeen, so it didn't strick him at first.

Most trans men have telling hands. Their voices are unique, they sometimes show adams apples.

She worea scarf, but the men had to know or find out being around her.

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There's no "man" about it, she's either a woman or a transwoman, not a transman.

And the things you describe the effects of testosterone, rather than genetics as such.

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I think he may have figured it out but didn't care.

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Yes, I got that impression too, Chef-22... Some people just aren't as messed up as the rest of us are in our sex-negative and sexually repressed mainstream anglo societies.

Also, being native, Calvin is in some, albeit very different, ways an outsider too, which is likely to make him more sensitive and introspective.

Violet

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