Transgender and what you think you know.
I always like to start of my blog getting everyone familiar with the topic of discussion. This week we are engaged with the word transgender. For me the definition that has been in my mind, was defined as a man or a woman changing over to be the opposite sex. according to Webster's dictionary transgender is relating to, or being a person whose gender identity differs from the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth. My overall personal definition might be right in some ways but after looking at the film, I have a new perspective of the word and culture.
There where so many interesting things about this film it's hard for me to start of what to talk about. But lets start of with the perceived history of the transgender in movies. This statement especially goes to the trans woman and how they are characterized. I'm guilty of this myself and really never paid attention but nine times out of ten the trans woman was always depicted as a joke. Even some of my favorite actors have participated in helping this statement be true. The character in these movies traditionally portrayed a woman that's not your typical woman that you see. Just take a look below.
Adam Sandler
Even Though these actors above are some of my favorite and they starred in some of my favorite TV shows or movies really doesn't account for the portrayal that they played for the transgender community. It may have been for jokes but people do live a life a fear and embarrassment daily. They funny thing about it is that when a actual real transgender plays a role in a show or movie the character is not as over dramatized as what you have seen if a male played the role. You have actors such as Laverne Cox who is actually a transgender that play in movies who don't fit the stereotype of Jaime Fox character or Adam Sandler character. One thing that I did find unusual for the transgender actor, why do they continue to take some of the roles that jeopardize them as a person or make them feel bad. I understand in times you have to do what you have to do to survive or make it in a business, but personally I think it's more harm done if you as a transgender play a role that depicts something lesser than what you truly are or the community.
During the course of the film I noticed an interesting detail that was associated with filming and stereotypes. Who new both paths would have to deal with one another but they had some relevant issues about both cultures. There was some mention of the black community on how they where depicted years ago as "blackface". Then one of the transgender people that happen to be black spoke on the troubles the faced for many years. They stayed "blackface" people where depicted as rude and mischievous in there ways and never painted in a good light as a person. They felt this was the same type display movies used for the male transgender person having them play as a overly drastic display of a woman. A quote was made that he had trouble already being black and to make matter worse being black and a transgender was a double no go. That part opened up my eyes at the the struggles that community goes through and that just one example.
At the end of the day, us a a combine community need to be educated as a whole. It's great to have access do websites and information on the transgender community. But if this topic is not open discussed world wide, change will be at driven at a slower place. It's true everyone has access to the internet, but just like myself, I go on the internet to search things only that I am primarily interested in at the moment. The true education starts in our homes. The homes are the foundation of our everyday living. If things can be enlighten at a earlier stage, I believe people would tend to be more accepting in the near future.
It really is hard to say what a person might think taking a role where who/what they are is shown in a bad light. I know a lot of the culture right now fights back if a character is played by someone who is not in that category, so it's a hard balance between creating a story and showing your own self in a positive light.
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