Transgender Representation in Television

With the rise of awareness of transgendered individuals, a wide look at transgender representation on television could show how the definition of their cultural identity has changed, and how it can still improve. Consider to what extent "freak show" portrayals (a trans person as an oddity or comic relief) have been the bulk of trans portrayal in the past and how that is evolving.

Possible inclusions: Denise Bryson (Twin Peaks character), RuPaul's Drag Race, the media coverage of Caitlin Jenner, the new trans character on Sens8, Jazz Jennings (a young trans model doing a national ad campaign for Clean & Clear).

This could also be done with examples from movies, and be a topic for the Movie section. Buffalo Bill (Silence of the Lambs), The Crying Game, and Better Than Chocolate come to mind.

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Jazz Jennings also has a tlc show now "I am Jazz" – saragrilli 10 years ago
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For a sci-fi take, there is Missy from Doctor Who; once a male Timelord, she regenerated into a female Timelady. – claytonpitcher 10 years ago
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Knights of Sidonia had a rather interesting way in which its future society dealt with transgender characters. From my understanding, fuzzy as it may be, characters born in the higher classes of the space station initially identified as agender or androgynous and fluidly switched between gender identities depending on their partner at the time. One character started the series in gender neutral military clothes but gradually began to dress in a more feminine manner when a romance began to develop with a heterosexual male character. Not sure if that's entirely a good thing, having one's gender fluidity be dependent on those one is pursuing, but it was still an interesting take on a what a post gender future society might look like. – RyanR 10 years ago
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This is a nice topic but also look at how the depictions on tv are effected by or effect the people who watch them. Consider the intended audiences for the shows as well – gabrielleceleste 10 years ago
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Silence of the Lambs spawned protests over how a transgender individual was being negatively portrayed in the character of Buffalo Bill. This was early as 1992. This proves to be an interesting topic! – Cmandra 9 years ago
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