I don’t often review documentaries, something I think I mention every time I end up reviewing a documentary, but there are some that I watch and end up wanting to recommend to others, for a variety of reasons. Our Body is an important and timely film, especially when you consider the current climate that has turned the female body into a political battlefield and the sexual and gender identity of individuals into ammunition being used in a preposterous and damaging “culture war” (placed in quotation marks because, let’s face it, there’s no such thing . . . it’s just all tied to reactionary measures from people scared of what they don’t understand).
Our Body looks at the bodies of those who are female and female-identifying. Director Claire Simon positions herself in a French gynecology department, sitting in on a variety of conversations and procedures, from gender reassignment journeys to childbirth, and so much in between.
The first two main encounters here will ensure that viewers know what they are in for. One shows a young woman who wants to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The other shows a trans man preparing himself for the chance to fully transition once they have turned eighteen. Both of these topics are contentious and divisive for many, even if they shouldn’t be, and both are shown here in the way that they should be shown, with a patient and doctor discussing the situation and the range of options available. As the ignorant are ironically quick to spout when they think they have some smug extra knowledge they once found on a Reddit post, “facts don’t care about your feelings.” The reality, the medical reality, is that people on both sides of the doctor’s office are often trying to find a solution that makes use of both facts and feelings to help someone match their inner and outer selves.
A few moments show surgery, but the focus here tends to be on the conversations and consultations that highlight what women have to go through as they seek help with their issues. It’s not all straightforward and positive either, with Simon filming a protest by women who feel abused and violated by the system, but the overwhelming message seems to be about people trying their best to help others, no matter what is going on in the outside world, or what headlines are being used to try and turn individuals against one another.
Our Body may be all about women, but it’s about all of us. It highlights the understanding and compassion that we should all have, especially while not knowing what those around us might be going through. You don’t need to be a doctor to help the women in your life. You just need to listen, empathize, and be supportive while they journey down some dark and scary paths that men never have to step on.
9/10
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