PARTICIPANTS

Dayanara - The protagonist of the film; a transgender youth who viewers first meet before she begins to live publicly as a woman. We’ll refer to her pre-transition as “Ñoño.” She is nineteen years old, the oldest of a “pack” of kids in Roblito. She emerges as the teacher, leader, and often caregiver of the town’s youth. She is the first in Roblito to come out as transgender and does so without precedent or model. She knew no other transgender people and does not have access to the internet. Dayanara says of her journey, that she did not have a label for herself, did not know she was undertaking a “coming out” process. She felt her way towards a language and mode of living that was true to who she knew herself to be.

The kids -We meet a pack of kids, ranging in age from about four to nineteen. We do not get to know any one of these children in depth; in turn one or the other emerges: the child who does not want their hair brushed, the child who already feels in charge-shouting to her mother not to gossip about her. We see these young people in play and in school, formally dressed for a town ceremony, entranced by a free movie screening in the town square. We get to know the life of the town through the mood and experiences of these youth.

Roblito - The town of Roblito is a tiny, remote fishing village. Our story of Dionayara is set entirely in this town; we witness her and her transition almost entirely in its small grid of streets and homes. We understand there is no anonymity to her process; all that she experiences will be experienced in tandem with Roblito.

KEY ISSUES

Things We Dare Not Do is an excellent tool for outreach and will be of special interest to people who want to explore the following topics:

• Gender Identity
• Gender Roles
• Gender Norms
• Transgender Experiences in Mexico
• LGBTQIA Experiences in Rural Communities
• Social, Cultural, and Political Violence