Transfolk and the Media
***X-posted like a motherf*cker to more communities than I can list***
Hey Folks! I am currently working on an Independent Study Project called “The Burden of (Trans)Representation” which focuses on the ways transpeople are portrayed in the media, specifically television and film. For this particular project, I have been looking at “Boys Don’t Cry”, “Transamerica”, and the 3rd season of “The L Word”. At this point, I am really trying to get a sense of what my queer brothers, sisters, and in betweens think about how the media represents our journeys and lives. So, beneath the cut, I have several questions geared towards the 3 texts mentioned above, as well as some general questions to help add some body and feeling to this paper. I offer my sincere appreciation for anyone who can lend me their voice. (I wanted to offer sexual favors as compensation, but my professor didn’t think it’d be appropriate…well, excuse me for having a sense of humor)
(NOTE: You DO NOT have to answer all of the questions, just whichever ones you feel the most strongly about, etc. Also, if you don’t want to answer through LJ, you can email me directly at ccarroll@student.umass.edu, just please put “Questions” in the subject line)
• What do you think helped the shift in media to cover trans narratives over the last 10-20 years?
• Would you recommend movies like those featured in this paper to people outside the queer community who wanted to learn more about trans issues?
• Why do you think nudity or exposed trans bodies are such a necessary scene to include in films and some tv?
• What are some limitations of film in describing the life of a person in transition?
• How do differing thematic genres (drama or comedy) effect how trans folk are represented? Does one genre humanize /normalize characters more than another?
• What is left out of the narrative by only focusing on the actual transition process? Does a transperson’s life lose meaning or importance post-transition?
• How can issues of race, class, and region be communicated more efficiently?
(L-Word)
• How does the language and imagery of a lesbian show form a backdrop for the evolution of Max’s character?
• How do you feel about Max’s transition and how it was approached by the show’s writers and producers?
• What does his character do to the dynamic of the show?
• How does this reflect the tension between FTMs and lesbians in the real world?
• What do media business aspects (ratings, time constraints, audience) do to the ability to truthfully represent FTMs?
(Boys Don’t Cry)
• How does the fact that this movie is based on a real person’s life alter the emotional content?
• How does the sex scene convey notions of passing?
• How do the rape and murder scenes differ from other movies depicting transpeople? What do these scenes do to the dynamic of the film?
• How do images of class and region affect the story and distance it from more contemporary portrayals of trans life?
• Considering this movie won an Oscar, do you think that it played a profound role in bringing discussion of transpeople, especially FTMs, into a more public space? How?
• Do you think the movie would have been as effective in its telling if Brandon was played by a male actor rather than a (babyface, similar to Brandon) Hilary Swank? Explain.
(Transamerica)
• How is Bree portrayed as a “classic transsexual”? Do you think she is portrayed in this way to make it easier for mainstream audiences to understand gender nonconformity as something that can still fit into boxes? Explain.
• How is history (specifically of Native cultures) used in the narrative?
• As a comedy, do you think audiences are more likely to enjoy and/or claim to understand what they see as a transwoman?
• Do you think the fact that Bree, a male-to-female transsexual, is portrayed by a famous female actress inhibits an audience’s ability to really see the complexities of gender identity?
Hey Folks! I am currently working on an Independent Study Project called “The Burden of (Trans)Representation” which focuses on the ways transpeople are portrayed in the media, specifically television and film. For this particular project, I have been looking at “Boys Don’t Cry”, “Transamerica”, and the 3rd season of “The L Word”. At this point, I am really trying to get a sense of what my queer brothers, sisters, and in betweens think about how the media represents our journeys and lives. So, beneath the cut, I have several questions geared towards the 3 texts mentioned above, as well as some general questions to help add some body and feeling to this paper. I offer my sincere appreciation for anyone who can lend me their voice. (I wanted to offer sexual favors as compensation, but my professor didn’t think it’d be appropriate…well, excuse me for having a sense of humor)
(NOTE: You DO NOT have to answer all of the questions, just whichever ones you feel the most strongly about, etc. Also, if you don’t want to answer through LJ, you can email me directly at ccarroll@student.umass.edu, just please put “Questions” in the subject line)
• What do you think helped the shift in media to cover trans narratives over the last 10-20 years?
• Would you recommend movies like those featured in this paper to people outside the queer community who wanted to learn more about trans issues?
• Why do you think nudity or exposed trans bodies are such a necessary scene to include in films and some tv?
• What are some limitations of film in describing the life of a person in transition?
• How do differing thematic genres (drama or comedy) effect how trans folk are represented? Does one genre humanize /normalize characters more than another?
• What is left out of the narrative by only focusing on the actual transition process? Does a transperson’s life lose meaning or importance post-transition?
• How can issues of race, class, and region be communicated more efficiently?
(L-Word)
• How does the language and imagery of a lesbian show form a backdrop for the evolution of Max’s character?
• How do you feel about Max’s transition and how it was approached by the show’s writers and producers?
• What does his character do to the dynamic of the show?
• How does this reflect the tension between FTMs and lesbians in the real world?
• What do media business aspects (ratings, time constraints, audience) do to the ability to truthfully represent FTMs?
(Boys Don’t Cry)
• How does the fact that this movie is based on a real person’s life alter the emotional content?
• How does the sex scene convey notions of passing?
• How do the rape and murder scenes differ from other movies depicting transpeople? What do these scenes do to the dynamic of the film?
• How do images of class and region affect the story and distance it from more contemporary portrayals of trans life?
• Considering this movie won an Oscar, do you think that it played a profound role in bringing discussion of transpeople, especially FTMs, into a more public space? How?
• Do you think the movie would have been as effective in its telling if Brandon was played by a male actor rather than a (babyface, similar to Brandon) Hilary Swank? Explain.
(Transamerica)
• How is Bree portrayed as a “classic transsexual”? Do you think she is portrayed in this way to make it easier for mainstream audiences to understand gender nonconformity as something that can still fit into boxes? Explain.
• How is history (specifically of Native cultures) used in the narrative?
• As a comedy, do you think audiences are more likely to enjoy and/or claim to understand what they see as a transwoman?
• Do you think the fact that Bree, a male-to-female transsexual, is portrayed by a famous female actress inhibits an audience’s ability to really see the complexities of gender identity?