I don’t have Amazon Prime, because I’m a huge loser who never shops online. (I have a lot of issues coping with return policies.) Unfortunately, it also means I completely missed the boat on “Transparent,” the Golden Globe winning series about a trans woman who comes out later in life.
But now, people like me – the people who have wished deeply that they understood what Rachel was experiencing when she wrote her Transparent recaps – can finally be hip to the jive and watch what all the cool kids are watching, because “Transparent” is streaming for FREE online ALL DAY. But only today, do you get me?
Cancel your plans. Shut the blinds. Charge your laptop. It’s time to get deeply moved.
Watch “Transparent” for free right now. I’ll be right here with you, and I’m totally reading the recaps as I go along. I’m kind of a Rachel Kincaid fangirl.
Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?
Carmen spent six years at Autostraddle, ultimately serving as Straddleverse Director, Feminism Editor and Social Media Co-Director. She is now the Consulting Digital Editor at Ms. and writes regularly for DAME, the Women’s Media Center, the National Women’s History Museum and other prominent feminist platforms; her work has also been published in print and online by outlets like BuzzFeed, Bitch, Bust, CityLab, ElixHER, Feministing, Feminist Formations, GirlBoss, GrokNation, MEL, Mic and SIGNS, and she is a co-founder of Argot Magazine. You can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr or in the drive-thru line at the nearest In-N-Out.
I saw someone on Twitter talking about how Transparent is streaming today and now I’m 2.5 episodes in and totally in love. Not sold on the “didn’t find a trans woman to play the main character” part, but otherwise I love this show!
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In this case though, I think it makes sense to have used a cis man because Maura is just beginning her transition and they included flashbacks. A lot of trans women would be much more likely to have advanced in or completed their transitions- showing the effects of hormones for example. If this was someone who maybe hadn’t seen their kids in years, transitioned, and then showed up on their doorstep, then a trans woman would definitely be a better choice. They did include a lot of trans people, which was fantastic.
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Oh my god I just watched the pilot. SOO GOOOD??
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Not available in Canada :(
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Why does this have to happen today?! I’m ear-deep in studying for a pharmacology test! NOT OK. :(
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I hope you did/do smashingly well in your exam!
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This was the best decision I ever made!
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thanks so much for this! what a great way to spend my saturday night. :~)
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Okay so I totally jumped on the bandwagon after resisting for so long because 1) trans woman played by a cis man and 2) I don’t have Prime … But it was free and I had nothing better to do so I’ve just marathoned episodes 1-7, and I have to say, I like it!
And then Amazon cut me off, but I mentioned this to my mother and it turns out she has Prime and it is currently 03.46 am and I am going to finish the season! I have a lot of feelings. Josh is an asshole. Maura (I think that’s how you spell her name?) breaks my heart all the time. I just want to hug her. I like Sarah, I think. I’m not sure about her or Ali to be honest. They’re all selfish and annoying, but sometimes they’re good. Divina (sp?) is a star, and I really like Tammy, too. ANYWAY.
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Thank you for this! I just watched it all; What a great show. Come on Ali… Come out already!
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Huge Rachel Kincaid fangirl here.
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I respect how inclusive this show is in terms of showing people at different stages of transition and also how it gives space for the performance of different age identities. I lahuv Tammy and the wat she moves!!
Every single character in this show has annoyed the f&€/ out of me but I love them all too, like a big performativity family.
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It’s a great way to spend a Saturday night. On a side note I was also using a pen in unison with Amy. And yes Josh is a total dick I almost want to punch him. Though, that must be rough to find out you have a child and their in HS.
Also, did anyone notice a Len was a kind of like a jar of mayo.
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I was having such a rough night yesterday, and this opportunity made it LEAPS AND BOUNDS better :)
beautiful show
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hi i’m trans and this show is fucking garbage.
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Okay, why is it so bad? Educate me. (If you like)
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Cis man playing trans woman, it’s not funny, the quality of the show is irrelevant though, people need to stop giving out cookies for trans inclusion when literally the only visible narrative about trans people is transition itself. For example there was that Chloe Sevigny show where she played an assassin who was trans and instead of having awesome pew pew explosions or whatever it was just about how her kids see her pee standing up and have to learn to accept her.
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We must have seen two very different assassin shows because i saw quite a bit of assassin plot with free running and guns with silencers, strangling people to death. I mean yes there were problematic aspects for some people but i personally didn’t find really anything about it offensive (me personally). Thats the problem with having this discussion, where some people see aspects of themselves in media others take offence. Trans people come in so many shapes and sizes its pretty much impossible to tell everyone’s story and show something entertaining. Also I’m way more in favor of women playing trans women than for men who play trans women, but as a trans actor i find my opinion seems to differ from those who watch things rather than create them.
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It’s not even a matter of whether I was offended or not. I think that there are trans narratives that don’t revolve around transitioning itself. I think the best portrayal of a trans character in media I’ve ever seen is Carmen from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia because she treats herself being trans as pretty incidental to who she is as a person which is a hot and awesome babe.
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Okay, so the constant unpacking of the transition process is offensive or it detracts from the multifarious dimensions of real trans lives? I can see how that would frustrating!
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Count how many of your trans lady friends are able to “get past” the whole thing where a cis man is playing a trans woman, again, again, again.
Go ahead, I’ll wait.
How does it compare, as a percentage, compared to your cis lady friends? What does this tell you?
I saw someone on Twitter talking about how Transparent is streaming today and now I’m 2.5 episodes in and totally in love. Not sold on the “didn’t find a trans woman to play the main character” part, but otherwise I love this show!
In this case though, I think it makes sense to have used a cis man because Maura is just beginning her transition and they included flashbacks. A lot of trans women would be much more likely to have advanced in or completed their transitions- showing the effects of hormones for example. If this was someone who maybe hadn’t seen their kids in years, transitioned, and then showed up on their doorstep, then a trans woman would definitely be a better choice. They did include a lot of trans people, which was fantastic.
Oh my god I just watched the pilot. SOO GOOOD??
Not available in Canada :(
Why does this have to happen today?! I’m ear-deep in studying for a pharmacology test! NOT OK. :(
I hope you did/do smashingly well in your exam!
This was the best decision I ever made!
thanks so much for this! what a great way to spend my saturday night. :~)
Okay so I totally jumped on the bandwagon after resisting for so long because 1) trans woman played by a cis man and 2) I don’t have Prime … But it was free and I had nothing better to do so I’ve just marathoned episodes 1-7, and I have to say, I like it!
And then Amazon cut me off, but I mentioned this to my mother and it turns out she has Prime and it is currently 03.46 am and I am going to finish the season! I have a lot of feelings. Josh is an asshole. Maura (I think that’s how you spell her name?) breaks my heart all the time. I just want to hug her. I like Sarah, I think. I’m not sure about her or Ali to be honest. They’re all selfish and annoying, but sometimes they’re good. Divina (sp?) is a star, and I really like Tammy, too. ANYWAY.
Thank you for this! I just watched it all; What a great show. Come on Ali… Come out already!
Huge Rachel Kincaid fangirl here.
I respect how inclusive this show is in terms of showing people at different stages of transition and also how it gives space for the performance of different age identities. I lahuv Tammy and the wat she moves!!
Every single character in this show has annoyed the f&€/ out of me but I love them all too, like a big performativity family.
It’s a great way to spend a Saturday night. On a side note I was also using a pen in unison with Amy. And yes Josh is a total dick I almost want to punch him. Though, that must be rough to find out you have a child and their in HS.
Also, did anyone notice a Len was a kind of like a jar of mayo.
I was having such a rough night yesterday, and this opportunity made it LEAPS AND BOUNDS better :)
beautiful show
hi i’m trans and this show is fucking garbage.
Okay, why is it so bad? Educate me. (If you like)
Cis man playing trans woman, it’s not funny, the quality of the show is irrelevant though, people need to stop giving out cookies for trans inclusion when literally the only visible narrative about trans people is transition itself. For example there was that Chloe Sevigny show where she played an assassin who was trans and instead of having awesome pew pew explosions or whatever it was just about how her kids see her pee standing up and have to learn to accept her.
We must have seen two very different assassin shows because i saw quite a bit of assassin plot with free running and guns with silencers, strangling people to death. I mean yes there were problematic aspects for some people but i personally didn’t find really anything about it offensive (me personally). Thats the problem with having this discussion, where some people see aspects of themselves in media others take offence. Trans people come in so many shapes and sizes its pretty much impossible to tell everyone’s story and show something entertaining. Also I’m way more in favor of women playing trans women than for men who play trans women, but as a trans actor i find my opinion seems to differ from those who watch things rather than create them.
It’s not even a matter of whether I was offended or not. I think that there are trans narratives that don’t revolve around transitioning itself. I think the best portrayal of a trans character in media I’ve ever seen is Carmen from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia because she treats herself being trans as pretty incidental to who she is as a person which is a hot and awesome babe.
Okay, so the constant unpacking of the transition process is offensive or it detracts from the multifarious dimensions of real trans lives? I can see how that would frustrating!
Count how many of your trans lady friends are able to “get past” the whole thing where a cis man is playing a trans woman, again, again, again.
Go ahead, I’ll wait.
How does it compare, as a percentage, compared to your cis lady friends? What does this tell you?
Well said.
Very good point