This video is very interesting to watch for our discussion this week. Stephanie is a hermaphrodite. She was born with both male and female sex organs, and has to live with an unfortunate operation. Is she worthy of the $25,000 prize? Plus, she was being judged by her unfortunate operation!
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I've never heard of the show, but I really like the concept. Does the person that the panel thinks has suffered the most get the money? Stephanie obviously is still struggling with her identity, I agree that it was not her choice to be made into a female by the surgery, and it has probably brought her a lot of psychological problems that she has been trying to deal with since. However, I do agree with the panelist that said she needs to grow up and move past it. If she has been unable to deal with the aftermath of her gender assignment surgery alone, maybe it is time that Stephanie sought out professional help.
I think that the premise of this show is a bit troublesome, if only because it could inspire, as one panelist said, a "poor me, poor me" attitude. I also am a bit confused about the point of the show. The idea of people judging others without prejudice seems a bit hypocritical. However, I don't think that that is the point of the post.
As I started watching this clip, I honestly expected the panelists to be more understanding of Stephanie's plight. However, I was shocked to see how quick they were to dismiss her as someone who just needed to "get over it." I think that in Stephanie's case, and I might be reading this clip incorrectly, the problem isn't one she can simply "get over." Their dismissive attitudes appears to be the attitudes of people who are unable to empathize with others.
Towards the end of the clip, one member of the panel said that if she's been to hell, $25,000 isn't enough to get her a ticket back. However, I think that it would be enough to get her on the track.