Tootsie Costume Made Dustin Hoffman Face the Patriarchy

[ismnotwasm]

In an AFI interview from late 2012 that’s just starting to gain some traction now, in the summer doldrums, Dustin Hoffman talked about how, when he was first made-up as Dorothy Michaels during his preliminary preparations for Tootsie, he had a revelation about the unreasonable expectations our society has for female beauty when the make-up wizards crafting his costume told him they couldn’t make him a “prettier” woman. Hoffman went home, his gender paradigm shattered, and decided that making Tootise would be a really important thing to do.

http://jezebel.com/tootsie-costume-made-dustin-hoffman-face-the-patriarchy-692643813

[PDJane]

1. Wow. Just...wow.

Amazing man, and amazing sensitivity.

[ismnotwasm]

2. That's what I thought

"Now, make me a beautiful woman" and then, the epiphany

[Triana]

3. Always loved Dustin Hoffman as an actor

One of my favorites.

Now, I have newfound respect for him as a person, too.

Good man.

[Squinch]

4. Kick. What a beautiful observation.

[ChazII]

5. Society still needs to take one step

further. My eyes teared up when he said that he needed to be able to walk the streets of NYC with people turning their heads and saying, "Who is that freak?" The facially different hear that name several times a week.

Kuddos to Hoffman for this interview and sharing his insights. Are women guilty of the same thoughts when looking at men?

[ismnotwasm]

6. I think woman can be just as cruel as men

Not so much in the sexually entitled way of being male, but what would the average woman think if she saw an overweight man an a bicycle? Or one afflicted with a walleye or other visible defect? I don't think women are necessarily nicer or more nurturing, and what the standard is, is having physical attractiveness, or lack of it, representing a good chunk of societal value, instead of character or intelligence, or kindness.

You bring up a good point, why are we so cruel to those that don't aesthetically please us? There is nothing wrong with beauty, but there's something wrong with it being impossibly standardized--practically homogenized and then presented as value and a reason for self worth.

[BainsBane]

7. Women can also be cruel to one another.

[ismnotwasm]

9. Yes we can

I look at that as part of the human condition-- a very unlikable part--. I think there is a kind of meme, much like the Madonna/Whore complex, where women are again forced into a perceptual binary, either mean and cruel or good and kind, instead of having complex emotional responses and behaviors as a human being.

[ChazII]

8. Visually offensive

is the term that was used when I was with my son and another facially different friend. That is political correctness run astray.


I don't have a good answer for your question. However, in fairy tales, theater, great literature, television and in the movies those who are 'ugly' are often the villain in the story. Victor French was often cast as the bad guy and then Michael Landon cast him as a good guy on Little House and Highway to Heaven. Victor French was thankful that he was no longer cast based on his looks.

[ismnotwasm]

10. That's a good point

I was thinking of the movie "Mask" and it showcased that very thing.

[ChazII]

12. Mask is a wonderful movie.

One has to have a sense of humor and be strong just as the movie showed. My son had some surgery done be Dr. S.Beals who was the consultant on this movie.

Disney's Hunchback was hard for me to take due to the remark, "Great mask".

Thanks for your empathy and understanding on this topic.

[ismnotwasm]

13. That's neat

One of the plastic surgeons where I work will do pro bono corrective work. On one occasion, a young man who has a condition that causes benign rumors to grow all over (repeatedly, surgery is a temporary fix) It got so it was impairing his eyesight, as well as his ability to work. He is a well liked, hard working young man, and his community started raising money for his medical expenses. This particular surgeon donated his considerable skill and time for the actual surgery.

Still, to live as the "other" in the eyes of the far too many ignorant or cruel is a difficult thing, and I suspect unless you experience it, or are very close to it, it's hard-- if not impossible, to imagine what it must be like.

[ChazII]

14. Neurofibromatosis

type 1 is what both my son and I have. My son resembles Quasimodo, literally from the Disney version is both personality as looks. I have the bumps that cover the body. Our tumors are benign but can become cancerous. Surgery in my case is a temporary fix as they can grow back. In my son's case his has a plexiform and luckily it has atrophied. However, his tumor when operated on could have accelerated in growth.

Plastic surgeons sometimes are the butt of jokes due to Hollywood-types. However, a skilled reconstruction doctor is one who is a gift to the patient and yes, works a miracle. My son's plexi is close to the brain, wraps around the optic nerve and pushes the eye out of its orbit. It also blocks the hearing in his left ear.

Still, to live as the "other" in the eyes of the far too many ignorant or cruel is a difficult thing, and I suspect unless you experience it, or are very close to it, it's hard-- if not impossible, to imagine what it must be like. Your observation is spot on.

[ismnotwasm]

15. Where I work I'm amazed at the skill our plastic surgeons have

While my unit deals mostly with a specific type of breast reconstruction, we also have 'flap' patients, who have sustained radiation damage to have other conditions that can be treated surgically. I've taken care of patients with Neurofibomatosis, but very rarely on my floor.

I'll pm you the story of this young man

[JustAnotherGen]

11. One of my favorite movies

In my top ten favorites of all times. . . We watch this often in our house - as it was funny - but - no light comedy.