Set in the 1920s, ‘The Danish Girl’ is a biopic based on a dramatised account of the life of Einar, a married man who undergoes sex reassignment surgery with the support of his wife. The film depicts the emotional journey from when the protagonist first doubts his gender identity to the struggles and stigma he faces, and his eventual acceptance of himself as belonging to another gender. In addition to that, the film also focuses on the protagonist’s relationship with his wife and how their marriage changes when the protagonist starts seeing himself as a woman.
The film is rated R21 with an advisory of “Mature Theme”. The scenes depicting the protagonist’s gender identity transformation are treated subtly and sensitively. However, maturity is required to understand and appreciate the film’s theme. Under the R21 Classification Guidelines, “stronger and more explicit portrayal and exploration of mature themes are allowed.”
The film also contains some scenes of nudity. There is a scene where the protagonist is seen exploring and scrutinising his body in front of a mirror before he tucks his genitals between his legs to hide it from view. In another scene, the protagonist visits a prostitute at a Parisian peepshow and observes the topless woman teasing him through a glass panel.