There was something supremely delicate about 20000 Species of Bees from the very start. Something soft and like if you breathed even a little rougher, it would break the illusion in front of you. The only other time I’ve felt that was while watching A Quiet Place. That was a tense movie where any sound could leave the characters dead. That’s not the case for 20000 Species of Bees. There are no monsters. There are just people trying to figure themselves out and do right by each other. Yet I still felt like if I spoke too loudly or moved too quickly, I would shatter this delicate picture in front of me as it unfolded. I was locked in, taking in a young trans girl’s journey to deciding who she is.
We don’t get movies like this. When it comes to life defining movies about young girls, it’s always the socially acceptable form of what a girl is. It’s usually a young and rebellious girl who is fighting for a cause, solving a mystery, or experiencing their first crush. All of those are valid but they’re not intersectional. And our lives are intersectional even at a young age. Our lead character, who I will call Lucia (Sofía Otero), experienced a gentle, frustrating, and soul searching summer in 20000 Species of Bees. And sure, it might not be for every little girl. But it’s there for trans girls. That’s what really matters. Because everyone deserves to see themselves in the media they consume.
Lucia felt like a real kid. She was curious, petulant, and was going through growing pains just like everyone else. She felt relatable. And as the movie progressed it was clear that there were some things about her that didn’t match with the gender she was assigned to at birth. But this movie never explicitly said it or pushed it in your face. It just was a part of her. And I really appreciate this movie doing that because too often movies or TV shows that delve into queer experiences, feel like they’re checking off a box. There is no box here. Instead there’s a little girl who is asking her family: why do you get to choose who you are and I can’t?
It’s such a simple question and yet so complicated at the same time when you look at the way that people reacted to Lucia coming to grips with the fact that they weren’t a boy. They were a girl. It reflects our reality and the arguments that we’re seeing day in and day out when it comes to personal opinions, politics, and law. And while often I like to avoid stories that remind me of our world because our world sucks so much, I’m glad that I got to experience 20000 Species of Bees. Because it wasn’t just another exploration of our trauma. This movie was a delicate reminder of those who do accept us and open the door. Even if just a crack. Those people are there and they change lives.
The people who opened that door for Lucia to find herself came in the form of her aunt. She didn’t influence Lucia. She let Lucia make her own choices. And that allowed Lucia to blossom around her aunt and be honest. But she wasn’t the only one who’s quiet acceptance broke me. Even though Lucia was clearly scared to open up about what she was feeling with her family, her brother was always there. They’re around the same age so that’s expected as they’re hitting milestones and life experiences together. But he didn’t shame Lucia for her questions. In fact, he never shamed her for causing mischief, putting on Grandma’s clothes, or even for wetting the bed. And when it really came down to it, he was the first one of her immediate family to yell out her name and accept her and her choices.
Another key part of 20000 Species of Bees was the relationship between Lucia and her mother. It was really interesting how this movie approached this relationship because the mom isn’t like anyone I’ve seen before. Usually in movies or on TV they go to two extremes. Either the mother is super liberal or repressive and rightwing. Rarely do you see a mom in the middle who is trying to open the door for her children to experience things for boys and girls. And she thinks she’s doing the right thing. She thinks that she’s being open enough. But when it really comes down to it, and her child takes another path, it’s hard for her to accept it. The same thing goes with Lucia’s father. And it’s a harsh reality check that as parents, they don’t know everything and they will mess up even as they’re trying to do better. What matters is that they continue trying after. They can make it through.
Another thing that I noticed about 20000 Species of Bees, is that in its delicate nature, it still wasn’t afraid to go against the grain of what we expect from movies like this. This wasn’t a kids movie or an adult’s movie. It was a movie about life that just happened to feature kids and adults. Hollywood or filmmaking in general doesn’t pick a middle ground like that. And if they do, children aren’t listened to. It’s very reminiscent of real life. It’s also very reminiscent of life that kids push back. Like when Lucia set her boundaries with her mom in the bathroom. That was smart storytelling that showed that the mom had given her child the ability to understand that she can say no. So A+ on parenting for that. But it also showed that the mom was having trouble understanding Lucia’s boundaries within that acceptance.
By the end of 20000 Species of Bees I felt like that delicate story we were getting to know turned into a simmer. It never boiled over, which I’m glad of. There was no queer kid having a sad ending where they took their own life or ran away never to be seen again. It just was. And sometimes that’s how life is. Life is going through these extreme ups and downs before landing smack dab in the middle of it all and just moving forward. In a way, 20000 Species of Bees felt alive in a way that I haven’t experienced before when it comes to movies. It was something alive and outside of me that kept going even after the movie ended. That’s when I realized that a friend, family member, neighbor, or someone across the country or world could be experiencing this. And if 20000 Species of Bees moved me to tears, I hope it moves families or individuals who are going through a situation that’s similar, to take a second and answer Lucia’s question when it comes to the human experience: why do you get to choose who you are and trans people can’t?
20000 Species of Bees will be available on digital and VOD on October 25, 2024.
What did you think about 20000 Species of Bees? Let us know in the comments below!
Queerly Not Straight posts Saturdays (or when I feel like it) with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latine community since I am Latine.) If you’re reading this somewhere outside of Fangirlish, it has been stolen.
