source: Call Her Ganda

This movie moved me, it saddened me. It is about a young, loving and kind trans woman escort in the Philippines and how an American military man brutally murdered her for being trans. This man has not been brought to justice and was protected by the American government, who clearly rewards murderers when trans people of colour are the ones losing their lives. We await for justice to be done. Her mother's words made me cry. Justice for Ganda.

This was an eye-opening, thought-provoking, emotional documentary for me to watch. I did not realize the issues that were ongoing between Americans and Filipinos prior to watching this. The Injustice of Jennifer's murder and the sentence the Marine received was just unfair. It seemed like a slap on the wrist. A couple things that occurred to me while watching this were 1) this man had plenty of time to think about what he was doing before Jennifer died, as it takes approximately 4 minutes to strangle someone to death and this is plenty of time to stop and think about your actions, and 2) if this young man reacts this way when he is simply deceived, imagine how he reacts during other circumstances, such as during high pressure situations like actual combat....it gives me shivers. To say that he would have done this again is not an overstatement, IMO. I hope many people are able to watch this and be as enlightened as I was by it. It was hard to watch, but very good!!

5.8? No reviews? Maybe this is what happens if no one gets paid to write about a film, especially if it's as uncomfortable to watch for Americans as this one. The story of a US marine convicted of murdering transgender woman Jennifer Laude was a turning point in US-Philippines relations, because the conviction was upheld, yet the whole procedure showed how the US yield their power of "legal hold", that is to say their practice of shielding military personnel from legal prosecution overseas. They've done this in Okinawa, where the population constantly protests against the US base because of a shocking regularity of rape. They've done this in Italy when a reckless pilot cut a ski lift's rope, and they've done this in the UK in the Harry Dunn case. The film isn't so much about Laude but her family seeking justice, and ends with the convicted marine in custody at a US base, although the court ordered him detained in a local prison. It is pointed out that in the United States, it would be unthinkable to release a foreign national convicted of murder into the custody of his homeland, and the deliberation with which the US is doing that here and elsewhere shows their colonial attitude towards military allies. It is also explained that the defendant used a "gay panic" defense which would meanwhile also be unacceptable in the US. Things are in limbo at the end but there's hope the convict will eventually serve his sentence; Laude's mother shows proof of a bribe attempt, in which she would have dropped all charges in exchange for $90k. I'm writing this review because president Duterte has recently pardoned the convict, which he promised not to do (also in the film), and he has since returned to the US.

Call Her Ganda