Why are we not represented in Sit Com's?

[Anne Bonny]

Why aren't we represented on TV? We are out there and we all know that the cutting edge of societal evolution plays out on television as people see characters portrayed in ways that start people thinking about them. When people can laugh, or see a character from different angles they begin to learn and eventually to see that we are not what they think we are. I think Hollywood, and Television have been ignoring us. We should demand some realistic characters who are transgendered, part timers, etc...inorder to help us become part of the conversation, so that we can become mainstream. This has happened with every group so far but not with us.

[Anthony Simon]

My impression is we're represented, but not that much:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0743374/

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... hq49tevfcA

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 0DBZ6GLu_A

These are UK examples. They're not of the murderous crossdresser sort - though the first plays with that image in order to refute it.

Bosom Buddies in the States was a whole sitcom series based around two guys dressing up as women in order to find somewhere to live. My memory of the last episode has one of the guys finding that he wants to go on with it just for its own sake. But I think you're right, there aren't too many TV series where the CD is just an ordinary person.

There have been sympathetic movies about TS characters - e.g. Soldier's Girl, Transamerica. Just like a Woman was a sympathetic UK movie about a CD (sometimes cited as the best representation of being a CD on film).

[Anne Bonny]

I had forgotten some of these...hum...think I will see if just like a woman is on netflix....

[April Rose]

I found it on you tube: but it had to be loaded in 10 minute segments

[DonnaT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3JoFBush2A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toCz-mmYMoA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anne Bonny]

I guess we are out there, and it was a proper and positive presentation too, at least the first link. Glad to see it because that is exactly what I think should be seen at least once a season on television!!!

[BelindaH]

Are you aware of the Amazon series Transparent. Like the title says it is a comedy where the lead character is transitioning. jeffery Tambour may be a cis- gender male, but he is also very funny. I believe the series creator Jill Soloway experienced this in real life with her father.

[Zoe]

Apparently, no one remembers Work It http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_It_(TV_series).

[Robyn]

I don't recall Work It, but I certainly remember Bosom Buddies with Tom Hanks. And the show had a decent run.

[Toni_Lynn_P]

I think the big reason is that 'Hollywood' doesn't get it for the most part.

The problem with shows like Bosom Buddies and Work It is that the characters aren't crossdressers in the same sense that we are. Yes, the are crossdressed, but they are not 'dedicated' to the lifestyle as we are. Even the film, Tootsie, is in a similar mode. The crossdressing characters only do it for (exaggerated) comedic effect. When the 'situation' ends, these characters will not continue to crossdress.

side note: I HATE the movie Tootsie! When it came out in 1982, I was still living at home and was always still being spied upon and living in fear with snide remarks about how disgusting I was whenever I was caught. And then Tootsie came along and I heard, 'Oh isn't that funny! He's makes a really convincing woman.' The hypocrisy has stuck with me. To this day I refuse to watch it.

Of course we then have things like RuPual's Drag Race. Again the public perception of us is driven by an over the top character, who represents only a small bit of what we are. I haveto ask, is the typ eof show you'd want to watch with an SO (or potential SO) to see if she would accept you? I think not.

I do love the film 'Just Like a Woman' though. It is the perfect romantic crossdresser movie. If your SO accepts you, then this is THE date night movie to watch together.

I think I'm rambling -- sorry

Hugs

Toni-Lynn

[Anne Bonny]

I think that nails it. We are not really represented in sit coms, or what about in more dramatic shows as we move more into the mainstream. Why do we have to be funny? Can't we be presented as people for who we really are. Not as perverts, not as drag queens, or being overblown and made fun of, isn't that really a form of ridicule being played by men who are not really transgender but pretending they are and trying not to be caught. Why can we be portrayed as ... perhaps a detective surrounded by coworkers who accept us as for who we are and we deal here and there with what we would have to deal with in real life...some acceptance, some rejection that can be set straight?

We still aren't represented very much at all, perhaps in a few very obscure movies but not very much at all.

[Toni_Lynn_P]

Why can we be portrayed as ... perhaps a detective surrounded by coworkers who accept us as for who we are and we deal here and there with what we would have to deal with in real life...some acceptance, some rejection that can be set straight?

It odd you should mention that. An alter-ego of mine is as an author of lesbian oriented females-to-male crossdressing fiction. As such I began writing a Raymond Chandler type Philip Marlowe sort of hard-boiled butch detective series. It is great fun and rather naughty, so I will only share the link to it by PM

Hugs

Toni-Lynn

[Anne Bonny]

There should be a "like" button on this site!

[SilverLady(SO)]

^ I agree, Anne, and we're still looking into that possibility - provided it doesn't screw up the rest of our software.

You know the old adage: you 'fix' one thing and another thing breaks.


- SL

[Anne Bonny]

LIKE... There's my work around.