“Transparent” Changed Me (And TV) Forever
“Do you have something to tell us?” my mom joked. It was a joke, because of course I didn’t. “No,” I said with a laugh. And I thought I was telling the truth.
“Do you have something to tell us?” my mom joked. It was a joke, because of course I didn’t. “No,” I said with a laugh. And I thought I was telling the truth.
As cis white men are forced out of Hollywood to face repercussions for their actions, this could become an important moment for traditionally marginalized voices to tell stories in ways we’ve never been allowed to before.
Transparent isn’t a show about any single person. It’s a show about family. That’s what it’s always been and when it focuses on that, it’s at its absolute best.
This is a highlight reel of the highs and lows of the trans storylines in Transparent’s third season.
If you’re looking for trans actors playing trans characters, the absolute best place on TV to look is Jill Soloway’s show for Amazon Prime, Transparent.
“It’s precisely because Her Story is written and directed by trans women, starring trans women and featuring trans women on the crew that it’s able to be so authentic and so acutely focused on its trans characters.”
“We wrote more obituaries for murdered trans women in 2015 than TV recaps for any single show we cover.”
“Being one of the cool kids is a privilege I never had growing up, especially in school. I was one of the outcasts because I was different. So on Transparent, it’s like the tables have turned.”
At one point in my notes I wrote “I’m really happy that they didn’t murder this trans girl,” only to watch her die in the hospital two scenes later. That’s how the whole episode went — any time I would get hopeful, they would let me down again.
Where “Transparent” succeeds in telling a trans story that’s largely focused on how cis people relate to and see trans people, “This is Me” goes one step further and shows trans people talking to other trans people about their lives and experiences.
I found myself crying halfway through the first episode — not because the show was touching my heart, but because I couldn’t believe how Carly was being talked about by her family.
Which of these shows featuring trans women are you most excited for?
The hit Amazon series is making steps to include more trans women and make it’s stories and characters more authentic.
Two more films featuring transgender characters will be out this year, but neither of them are played by trans actors. Hollywood seems ready to use trans stories, but remains uncomfortable with trans people on screen.
Have you seen the preview for Amazon Prime’s new trans woman-centered dramedy Transparent? We have, and we have very conflicted feelings about it.
“An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone’s secrets to spill out.”