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In recent years there have been all sorts of debates centred around who should be taking roles in TV shows or movies. There are likely to be endless debates about the suitability of candidates for any part. Why is non-Jewish Bradley Cooper portraying Jewish composer, Leonard Bernstein, with a false nose? Why did Australian Mel Gibson play a Scottish historical icon in Braveheart? Why have Disney Studios rewritten history by creating Snow White and the Seven Companions? Where the argument becomes clearer is over gender, rather than questions around make-up or accents. More and more movies and TV shows are featuring strong trans characters, reflecting the inclusive times we now live in.
Credibility is everything in the movies
The single most important aspect of any storyline featuring trans people is surely authenticity. After all, whether it’s a drama, a comedy, or whatever, these stories will be holding a mirror the real-life experiences. More and more trans individuals are feeling welcome in society, using dating apps to meet transgender people, or mixing with other transsexual singles in social places. They can go down the former route by checking out reviews of the fabulous array of virtual matching platforms dedicated to arranging trans encounters. Reading assessments of which sites would offer the best tools for interaction – and some serious flirting – is all part of being a trans single in the exciting modern world.
The importance of involving non-cis actors
Inclusivity is the name of the game in the early 21st century. Whether you're into playing addictive mobile games, or hooked on movies, trans people are being featured in so many diverse character parts the situation is becoming encouraging. For any transgender individuals who might have been struggling with coming to terms with their identity, this is extremely empowering. Nowadays, they can see people they'll be able to instantly identify with in many series and films.
Trans actors who actually played trans characters
Alex Blue Davis in Grey's Anatomy
This multi-award-winning US medical drama has now been running for an incredible 19 seasons and 420 episodes. Its vivid portrayal of the lives of the residents and interns of a hospital in Seattle, Washington has gained numerous plaudits, not least for its strong characterisation and realistic medical dilemmas. Dr Casey Parker is not just a gifted doctor, he is also something of a tech whizzkid. He is also a trans man and is played by Alex Blue Davis, a trans man in real life. Scriptwriters honing this crucial role benefitted from advice given by the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
Laverne Cox in Orange Is the New Black
Another hit series, Orange is the New Black has been a consistently strongly-performing drama focusing on the lives of inmates and staff at women's prison, FCI Danbury. Cox plays a trans woman, Sophia Burset; before transition, she was a firefighter named Marcus. Now she is doing time for credit card fraud (which she used to fund her reassignment surgery), and her complex character is played to perfection by trans woman, Cox. This talented actress was the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her era-defining role.
Nicole Maines in Supergirl
Based on the iconic DC Comics character, cousin of Superman, Nicole Maines is Nia Nal (code name, Dreamer), a trans woman who possesses a fierce drive to protect others. Played by Nicole Maines. Although Maines was assigned male at birth, she began showing signs of gender variance at a very early age (and began saying as much to her family at age four). Her character in Supergirl is notable as the first trans superhero.
Hunter Schafer in Euphoria
A US teen drama dealing in complex issues around addiction and other coming-of-age dilemmas, Euphoria is also renowned for the inclusion of a trans female character, Jules Vaughan (Hunter Schafer), who enters into a stormy relationship with the lead protagonist, Rue (Zendaya). Trans activist and model, Schafer, earned various award nominations for her sympathetic turn.
MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson in Pose
While Laverne Cox gained her Emmy nomination for a guest role in Orange Is The New Black, Rodriguez received the prestigious nomination for a lead character in his drama about New York's LGBT ball subculture, for her starring role as a trans woman living with HIV. Moore plays a trans woman sex worker, while Jackson is the head of one of the rival houses
To conclude, trans characters have never been more widespread, diverse, and above all, empowering. A growing sense of acceptance is being reflected in a variety of well-received, sometimes award-winning shows either involving trans rights as a core storyline, or an integral part of the background. Next time you’re browsing Netflix, check out any of the aforementioned titles.