As November unfolds, it's essential to recognize that from November 13th to November 19th, the world observes Transgender Awareness Week. This week serves as a poignant lead-up to November 20th, known as Transgender Day of Remembrance, when we remember and honour those who have lost their lives due to transphobia. Unfortunately, in recent times, several politicians, including the prime minister, have been delivering hate speeches targeting these marginalized members of the LGBT+ community. In our media-driven society, it becomes increasingly important to shed light on how transgender individuals are portrayed on screens, as well as the profound impact and societal implications of these representations. Especially when more than a third of UK residents do not know what transgender is, according to an August 2023 statistics.
First and foremost, transgender people are individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Many people wrongly assume that it is intertwined with sexual orientation. There are two types of transitions, social and physical. Social transition is when there is a change on the name and pronouns, while physical involves hormone therapy and surgeries. It is worthwhile to mention the issues regards accessibility as it is expensive.
According to the Historian Susan Stryker, “Trans and cinema have grown up together. It’s like we have been present on screen”
On television, the representation of trans characters is much more progressive in comparison with the big screen. Perhaps one of the earliest depictions of a trans character on TV was in 1975 with Mike Brady (Robert Reed) from Medical Center (1969-1976) in an episode titled 'The Fourth Sex.' He played a doctor who decided to undergo sex reassignment surgery, a role that earned Reed an Emmy nomination. In 'The Jeffersons' (1975-1985), George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) anticipates a visit from an old friend from the Navy. When he opens the door, George is greeted by Edie. George's old friend was now living her truth as a woman. By the end of the episode, Edie and George had reconnected with the warm rapport of their Navy days.
While on the big screen, the transgender representation is slow. From the early days of Hollywood until 1968, the controversial and strict Hays Code was in effect. One of its determinations was the prohibition of “sex perversion” that included the LGBT+ community. Christine Jorgensen was an American singer and actress, a trailblazer in the United States to become widely known for having sex reassignment surgery. Her story inspired one of the earliest depictions of transsexuality on the big screen “Glen or Glenda”(Ed Wood, 1953)
On one hand, transfake provided them with a role in the narrative, allowing the audience to connect with their stories. On the other hand, this can be problematic in terms of perpetuating stereotypes and lacking depth. Thus preventing a meaningful connection between the characters and the audience, naturalization, and acceptance instead stigmatizing the multiple gender identities. 'Transfake,' a term used to describe cisgender actors playing transgender characters, is at the heart of this issue. The idea behind opposing the practice of 'transfake' is to normalize the presence of transgender individuals in the media, presenting their stories with greater humanity and authenticity. Additionally, many actors who are trans characters spend more time portraying characters in alignment with their assigned birth sex. Transfake can reduce job opportunities to the trans who are in the margins of society and appropriation of other stories.
Many productions use the trope of death as a punishment, a narrative device frequently employed with gay characters, that is adapted to the transgender storyline. For example, Boys Don't Cry (Kimberly Peirce, 1999).
Holly Woodlawn is believed to be the first openly transgender actor to play a transgender character in a feature film. She portrayed the character Mary Vivian Pearce in the 1970 film 'Trash,' directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol. This film is notable for its pioneering representation of transgender individuals in cinema. While transgender representation in film has evolved over the years, 'Trash' stands as an early milestone in this regard. The first transgender person to win an Emmy was Laverne Cox. Laverne Cox, an actress and transgender activist, was nominated for her role as Sophia Burset in the Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black" in 2014.
The first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Academy Award was Yance Ford. Yance Ford is a transgender filmmaker and director known for the documentary film "Strong Island." "Strong Island" was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature category at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018. In the same year, was Ane Crabtree, a transgender costume designer. Ane Crabtree was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Costume Design for her work on the film 'The Handmaid's Tale' in 2018.
Another notable example to mention is 'Dallas Buyers Club' (Jean-Marc Vallée, 2013), in which Jared Leto portrayed Rayon, a transgender woman living with HIV. Jared Leto's performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. However, this portrayal raises concerns about 'transfake' representation and the use of death as a punitive narrative device. A few years after the controversial biopic "The Danish Girl" (Tom Hooper, 2015) which received several award nominations and won prestigious awards shows and film festivals. Eddie Redmayne received critical acclaim for his performance and won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 88th Academy Awards.
However, progress on the big screen was slower.
Many transgender characters in films followed the tropes previously mentioned, transfake and death as a punishment.
The earlies trope associated with the trans community is “man in dress” as a punchline for the sake of comedy, since the silent era and still found in the present day. In short, this is crossdressing. For example noticed at Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959), Hairspray (Adam Shankman, 2007) and Mulan (1998).
Transgenders were often portrayed as villainous. The 'transgender killer' trope was evident in horror films such as 'The Silence of the Lambs' (Jonathan Demme, 1991), 'Psycho' (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960), Homicidal (William Castle, 1961), Sleepaway Lamp (Robert Hiltzik, 1983) and Dressed to Kill (Brian de Palma, 1980). Many of these villains were inspired on Ed Gein story which Life Magazine in 1957 justified his femicide cases as a desire to be one of them. Sometimes, this dark horror can blend with erotic, exemplified by characters like Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975). These characters indicate transgender individuals as an instable, deviant, and dangerous.
Transphobia extended to mainstream comedy from the early 1990s, revealing the projections and fears of cisgender men, both behind and in front of the camera. In numerous films, male characters reacted with horror upon discovering that their partners were transgender, as seen in movies like 'The Crying Game' (Neil Jordan, 1992) and 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.' (Tom Shadyac, 1994) In the 2000s, some films moved away from the 'trans woman as deceiver' trope, but they continued to use other methods to distance 'normal' men from transgender attraction. Many of these films mix the comic ridicule with villanization within its respective trans characters.
In the highly popular sitcom "Friends," Kathleen Turner, a cisgender female actor, portrayed the character of Chandler's father. The actress herself has acknowledged the problematic nature of her casting in this role, expressing that she would decline such a role if it were offered to her today. In the show, Chandler's father is revealed to be a transgender individual, a detail clarified in later years by Marta Kauffman, the co-creator of the series. However, during the show's original airing, this aspect of Chandler's dad's identity was never openly addressed. Not only was the true gender identity of Chandler's dad left unexplored, but the character's presence in the show often appeared to be a source of humour. While some may argue that this is just a sitcom and therefore subject to comedic liberties, it is essential to recognize the significant challenges that transgender individuals face in their daily lives. They often encounter difficulties in being taken seriously and are subjected to harassment.
It is important to highlight that some productions resort to tokenism within the trans community. Tokenism refers to the practice of making a superficial or symbolic effort to address a particular issue, often by including a small number of individuals from underrepresented groups to create the appearance of equality and diversity. Plus, at times, the portrayal of transgender individuals can be inaccurate, particularly concerning the difficulties in the access to medical transitions and the complexities of their love lives.
Furthermore, gender identity is often reduced to a mere plot device when characters switch bodies with someone of another gender, perpetuating gender stereotypes. Another narrative approach involves characters intentionally adopting the opposite gender's role to achieve a goal and advance the storyline. It is essential to note that this is distinct from being transgender, as the person within the altered body did not seek the change and does not experience gender dysphoria.
Overall, these on-screen portrayals highlight the prejudice that persists in society. These underrepresentations became a part of the subconscious, the seed of transphobia within society. Many see transgender individuals as mistrust and bar them from their jobs, medical care, homeless shelters and even public restrooms. Some of them even radically use their hate and violence against them verbally or physically. Tragically, transgender individuals, particularly those from minority groups and underprivileged backgrounds, are disproportionately affected, with the youngest among them experiencing a higher risk of violence, including murders, and struggling with the alarming rates of suicide, often compounded by societal issues and parental abandonment. They continue to exist on the margins of society, many of them under prostitution to survive.
On the big screen, especially in Hollywood, transgender representation remains a significant challenge. An era where blatantly dehumanizing portrayals of trans individuals carry the risk of alienating a mainstream audience; filmmakers and writers are increasingly cautious, striving to avoid overtly casting them as ambiguous, deviant, or villainous characters or using their identity as a narrative device. It's worth mentioning foreign directors like the Spanish Pedro Almodóvar and the Australian Stephan Elliott, who embraced this cause, featuring transgender individuals as protagonists, rather than relegating them to secondary roles. Furthermore, renowned and award-winning filmmakers like the Wachowski Sisters and actor Elliot Page have become advocates for transgender representation.
Trans visibility and political influence have experienced significant growth in Hollywood, particularly since 2015, marked by the emergence of figures like Caitlyn Jenner and the continued success of trans actors such as Laverne Cox. This progress is further exemplified by the presence of trans characters and themes in popular shows like Sex Education (2019-2023), Euphoria (2019-), Transfinite (Neelu Bhuman, 2019), Transparent (2014-2019), Orange Is the New Black (2013-2020), Sense8 (2015-2017), Pose (2018-2021) and A Wonderful Woman (Sebastián Lelio, 2017).
However, we cannot erase the past. In this era of increasing diversity driven by audience demand, those in high positions in Hollywood must take heed. They should craft stories that not only captivate the public but also pay homage to the memories of trailblazers like Marsha P. Johnson, who played a pivotal role in the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a watershed moment in the American LGBTQ+ movement. It's essential to introduce new, authentic trans characters who can pave the way for a generation of trans individuals. It brings awareness and commonplace; avoid taboos, stigmas, and suicides. Their gender identity should not serve as the sole driving force of the narrative or a plot device; rather, it should be portrayed as a natural and integral aspect of their lives; after all they’re human.
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