Submitted by Jenn Thoman
For many people living in the United States, gender identity resides on a spectrum. The gender binary model that is so common in the West erases that spectrum and makes the people who live their lives in and on it more susceptible to scorn and even violent harm. The concept of "visibility"exists to give a voice to those people who are not adequately represented in our culture.
With more characters in television shows and movies, and more outspoken artists in all media varieties, the queer community hopes to change the minds and hearts of the more conservative American public. The people who may never in their lives meet an LGBT person, and so have formed misguided ideas about the community at large.
But what happens when those characters are not accurate, and instead portray offensive stereotypes? Take, for example, ABC's new show "Work It". The concept is that two men who can't get jobs start to dress up and act like women, in order to get hired. You may think that the show is not overtly aimed at being offensive to transpeople, transwomen especially, but you would be incorrect. The show is overwhelmingly damaging in that it conveys a message to its target audience that this is what all transwomen are. It is okay to call a transwoman a "man in a dress" because look at this! That's why these men are doing!
When media representations of transpeople are so off-base, it paves the way for people to make assumptions about the way they can treat the LGBT community. When transwomen have to struggle every day to fit into a world that has not made room for them, and a show like this comes along and says, "it's super easy to live as another gender!", it nullifies an entire lifetime of conflicting experiences.
When people consume offensive media, it can color their judgement. When someone thinks that a transperson is somehow less than a person, the reactions are violent and harmful. This woman was just trying to use a bathroom, and she was beaten so aggressively that she had seizures while the people around her just watched and did nothing to help. Is that the kind of world you actually want to live in?
You can take steps to change the world around you. Join up with organizations like WAM! and GLSEN, start a letter-writing campaign to networks and news outlets, and make noise on social media websites. Join groups that advocate for gender inclusive media, and call out your friends when they make offensive comments. If enough people make a loud noise, someone has to listen eventually!
For many people living in the United States, gender identity resides on a spectrum. The gender binary model that is so common in the West erases that spectrum and makes the people who live their lives in and on it more susceptible to scorn and even violent harm. The concept of "visibility"exists to give a voice to those people who are not adequately represented in our culture.
With more characters in television shows and movies, and more outspoken artists in all media varieties, the queer community hopes to change the minds and hearts of the more conservative American public. The people who may never in their lives meet an LGBT person, and so have formed misguided ideas about the community at large.
But what happens when those characters are not accurate, and instead portray offensive stereotypes? Take, for example, ABC's new show "Work It". The concept is that two men who can't get jobs start to dress up and act like women, in order to get hired. You may think that the show is not overtly aimed at being offensive to transpeople, transwomen especially, but you would be incorrect. The show is overwhelmingly damaging in that it conveys a message to its target audience that this is what all transwomen are. It is okay to call a transwoman a "man in a dress" because look at this! That's why these men are doing!
When media representations of transpeople are so off-base, it paves the way for people to make assumptions about the way they can treat the LGBT community. When transwomen have to struggle every day to fit into a world that has not made room for them, and a show like this comes along and says, "it's super easy to live as another gender!", it nullifies an entire lifetime of conflicting experiences.
When people consume offensive media, it can color their judgement. When someone thinks that a transperson is somehow less than a person, the reactions are violent and harmful. This woman was just trying to use a bathroom, and she was beaten so aggressively that she had seizures while the people around her just watched and did nothing to help. Is that the kind of world you actually want to live in?
You can take steps to change the world around you. Join up with organizations like WAM! and GLSEN, start a letter-writing campaign to networks and news outlets, and make noise on social media websites. Join groups that advocate for gender inclusive media, and call out your friends when they make offensive comments. If enough people make a loud noise, someone has to listen eventually!
