While some reviewers from Film Threat argue the film contains "more shock than substance," others praise it for using a salacious premise to tackle "big, knotty questions" about patriarchy and power.
One of the film's most critical themes is its scrutiny of trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERF).
The commune’s idyll is threatened when a male fugitive is secretly harbored in their basement, exposing the cracks in their absolute separation.
A trans enlistee within the FLA forces the group to broaden their narrow "essentialist praxis".
LaBruce uses the film as a "plea for female solidarity" that transcends biological determinism, advocating for a feminism inclusive of all women regardless of their gender assigned at birth. The Threat of the "Oppressed Becoming Oppressor"
The film's satirical edge is sharpest when exploring the premise of "female dictators" and the potential for any revolutionary movement to mirror the structures it seeks to overthrow.
Bruce LaBruce’s The Misandrists (2017) is a satirical, campy exploration of radical lesbian separatism that simultaneously celebrates and critiques feminist ideologies. Set in a fictionalized "Ger(wo)many," the film follows a cell of the Female Liberation Army (FLA), a goddess-worshipping commune led by the charismatic "Big Mother". While the film is wrapped in a "dirty eye" aesthetic typical of LaBruce's "queercore" roots, it delves into complex questions regarding gender essentialism, trans-inclusion, and the cyclical nature of oppression. The Satirical Lens of Radical Separatism
While some reviewers from Film Threat argue the film contains "more shock than substance," others praise it for using a salacious premise to tackle "big, knotty questions" about patriarchy and power.
One of the film's most critical themes is its scrutiny of trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERF). The Misandrists (2017)
The commune’s idyll is threatened when a male fugitive is secretly harbored in their basement, exposing the cracks in their absolute separation. While some reviewers from Film Threat argue the
A trans enlistee within the FLA forces the group to broaden their narrow "essentialist praxis". A trans enlistee within the FLA forces the
LaBruce uses the film as a "plea for female solidarity" that transcends biological determinism, advocating for a feminism inclusive of all women regardless of their gender assigned at birth. The Threat of the "Oppressed Becoming Oppressor"
The film's satirical edge is sharpest when exploring the premise of "female dictators" and the potential for any revolutionary movement to mirror the structures it seeks to overthrow.
Bruce LaBruce’s The Misandrists (2017) is a satirical, campy exploration of radical lesbian separatism that simultaneously celebrates and critiques feminist ideologies. Set in a fictionalized "Ger(wo)many," the film follows a cell of the Female Liberation Army (FLA), a goddess-worshipping commune led by the charismatic "Big Mother". While the film is wrapped in a "dirty eye" aesthetic typical of LaBruce's "queercore" roots, it delves into complex questions regarding gender essentialism, trans-inclusion, and the cyclical nature of oppression. The Satirical Lens of Radical Separatism