I'm Your Venus

I just watched the 2024 doc "I'm your Venus", a story about a Trans Woman who was murdered in New York in 1988, and her very 'Cis' (comfortable in skin) older brothers, who in present day (2024), seek to write the wrongs, to create a new narrative, and inspire a community.

At the beginning it seemed very low budget and rough around the edges, and it is, was. Very early into the doc, I didn't care anymore, since the heart of the film became crystal clear. To realize that these macho, Italian/Puerto-Rican, older brothers were ready to put their hearts on the line for their little sister, Venus Extravaganza. The three brothers set out, with the help of the Trans and Queer communities, to jump through any hoops necessary to make sure that Venus's, too short, life is remembered, honoured, and to ensure that it left a lasting impact to themselves and their communities.

The theme here, is a massive, 'acceptance'. Period. Nothing more needed. Acceptance of ones mistakes as a sibling; acceptance of ones nature and choices; acceptance of expression; acceptance of feelings...we all have them, we all want these things, and we ALL deserve it... ALL-WAYS.

Be prepared to open your mind-heart to this beautiful joining of worlds that come together for a common purpose...to honour and accept that we are all one human family. It feels so good to do so, to open the heart, to let love in and to accept who we all are...LIFE!

Thought-provoking, kind and profound, I'm Your Venus delicately balances the cold case story of Venus Xtravaganza with the love of her lasting legacy. It follows the present day trials of her biological brothers pursuing justice for her while her adoptive house assists these gentlemen with upholding her memory. These adult men come to grips with any regrets or guilt while LGBTQ+ advocacy and trans rights remain themes at the forefront. Detailed are attempts to change the name on her tombstone as well as the cause to identify her killer almost 30 years later. An emotional ride. 10s 10s 10s across the board!

This was the sweetest, most loving, most devastatingly heartbreaking documentary I've ever seen. They really captured her essence and vibrancy, and showed how loved she was by all her families. They didn't hold back and make everything perfect, but they showed the reality of the struggle the LGBTQ community experienced in the 1980s. They honestly captured many many conversations that should've happened in families but everyone was too uncomfortable with reality to discuss anything rationally. I'm happy the family evolved in the interim and are honoring her legacy and her memory. They do seem to need trying to do right by her now at least.

In a time of escalating hostility toward trans communities, the Netflix doc "I'm Your Venus" arrives as both a tribute and a call to compassion. Directed by Kimberly Reed and produced by Jennie Livingston, whose "Paris Is Burning" remains a landmark documentary, this new film returns to the tragic story of Venus Xtravaganza, whose 1988 murder remains unsolved.

Yet it's not just about her death; it's about memory, dignity, and the complexity of identity within chosen and biological families. Scenes with Venus' brothers and fellow House of Xtravaganza members are raw and revealing, especially when House father José Disla reads the brothers for filth, calling out the family's failings with unflinching honesty.

The film mourns what was lost, but also affirms the impact Venus had on those who loved her. Like "The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson", this is a vital and moving work, one that honors trans women who've made an indelible mark on our collective history.