5/27/12

K-11 is Cruel and Unreal Punishment For Transgender People



Synopsis: K-11 is a riveting drama that deals with the politics of race and gender-identity in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.

The film follows Raymond Saxx Jr. (Goran Visnjic), a powerful record producer who wakes from a drug-induced blackout to find himself locked up and classified "K-11." Plunged into a nightmarish world ruled by a transsexual diva named Mousey (Kate del Castillo), Raymond is truly a fish out of water. Complicating matters are a troubled young transgender named Butterfly (Portia Doubleday), a predatory child molester (Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) and the ruthless Sheriff's Deputy, Lt. Johnson (D.B. Sweeney). Ray's struggle to contact the outside world and regain his freedom seems impossible, but he must learn to navigate this new power structure if he is ever going survive and be in control of his life again.

The movie sports a tour de force cast that includes Goran Visnjic (Beginners; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Kate del Castillo (La Reina del Sur), Portia Doubleday (Youth in Revolt), D.B. Sweeney (Hard Ball), Jason Mewes (Clerks), Tommy 'Tiny' Lister (The Dark Knight), Tara Buck (True Blood; Justified) and Cameron Stewart in his feature film debut.

After watching the K-11 trailer I had mixed emotions. First I was enthralled, then quizzical, then I stated to wonder, what the fuck if this anyways? So I made my own little movie.



The synopsis of K-11 presents this as a drama and makes no mention that it is fantasy. So I began reading the comments and one after another they all sounded very similar to the ones we found on the "ticked off "T" with Knives" trailer. Misogynistic transphobes delighting in the sexual stereotyping, objectification, commercialization and dehumanization of transsexuals.

Until I read this one:

"If you want to see a real film about this serious subject, I encourage everyone to watch the documentary "Cruel and Unusual" which is a film about actual trans women in the prison system. It's on YouTube.
This is the actual world they live in, not a bunch of non-trans people's creepy fantasy about it."



Snyopsis: After arrest, no matter the crime, countless transgender women are incarcerated in men's prisons across the United States. These transwomen are denied medical and psychological care as well as the hormone therapy that keeps their system regulated. While painfully struggling against sudden chemical deficiency, these women are often victims of heinous crimes committed by the general prison population and prison staff including assault, rape, and murder. CRUEL AND UNUSUAL is an often unsettling documentary that candidly presents the challenges and inhumane treatment faced by these women. For additional information about this film or to purchase the DVD, please visit Outcast Films.com

Cruel and Unusual is real, not a glitzy Hollywood production pandering to sexually deprived fetishists gay and straight alike. It should be made clear to audiences that K-11 is a fantasy especially given the recent hard won improvements in inmate care in Los Angeles.

Our locked down sisters like Cece McDonald are the onces who will suffer directly from K-11. And the crew of K-11 will laugh about that fact, all the way to the bank. This is the truth.



McDonald had to plea down to manslaughter to avoid spending her life in prison for defending hereslf so here's how we can do to Support Cece.

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