20 Years Later, 'Boys Don't Cry' Still Inspires Admiration And Debate
The tiny independent film became a critical and box office hit by introducing mainstream audiences to a transgender hero. It fictionalized the true story of the brutal murder of Brandon Teena.
Boys Don't Cry opened in theaters Oct. 22, 1999, first on 25 screens before spreading to hundreds. It became a runaway hit that drew rave reviews for its empathetic portrayal of a young person on a quest for love and acceptance — based on the true story of murdered Nebraskan Brandon Teena — at a time when transgender characters were just not represented on screen.
When Riki Wilchins began transitioning in the late 1970s, she says there was very little trans visibility, even in large cities.
"Trans people were
