Trans in Film and Video 9/19/22

Here’s the scoop from Tinsel Town on the latest reports of transgender performers in film and video.

Hunter Schafer

Trans actress and star of Euphoria Hunter Schafer faced some accusations that she is a transmedicalist. What’s that? Well, transmedicalism is the idea that a person must experience gender dysphoria and have medical treatment during transition in order to be considered transgender. (That is not our stance here at TGForum. We feel “transgender” is an umbrella term that covers a whole spectrum of gender identities.) But, how did this happen to Ms. Schafer? It seems she liked a post on Instagram — with a series of exclamation points. The post was about the difference between binary trans people who medically transition, and nonbinary trans people who don’t. It argued that non-medically-transitioning trans people caused the recent attacks from the right saying that trans healthcare isn’t a necessity and shouldn’t be covered by insurance. The original poster goes on to blame nonbinary trans people for removing procedures like gender affirming surgery and HRT from the medically necessary category so those things are no longer covered by health insurance. Of course that reasoning is faulty. Right wing ideology denies the existence of trans people. Binary or nonbinary. Ms. Schafer took some time to respond to the viral storm she created but when she did she said, “. . .I hold absolutely no hatred towards non-binary folks,” she wrote. “I agreed with another t-girl’s post in which she pointed out an [imbalance] in the visibility and space taken up between non-binary folks and binary trans women (particularly those of color and/or those who have resulted to sex work as a means of survival) that I think deserves attention/re-evaluation (as far as resources and platforms go) within the LGBTQ+ community.” Get more of her statement from Pride. And remember, the right is against us, no matter where we are on the transgender spectrum. It’s best if we all stick together to counter their attacks.

L’Immensità is director Emanuele Crialese’s first feature film in 11 years, and only his fifth in a quarter-century. It is a 1970s-set story of a 12-year-old navigating his gender identity while his mother battles mental health demons. The trans boy’s mother is played by Penélope Cruz. Learn more about the film from Variety.

The ladies of Casa Suzanna.

Casa Susanna, is a new documentary by French filmmaker Sébastien Lifshitz. The film which documents the Catskills resort where crossdressers and trans women would go to in the ‘50s and ‘60s so they could be themselves was warmly received at its world premiere in Venice and screened last week in Toronto. It will show this fall at BFI London Film Festival and select U.S. and international festivals. PBS Intl., which has global rights, is receiving strong interest so it may be in theaters and streaming services sometime next year. Get more info from Variety.

Georgie Stone

Another documentary is The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone which tells the life story of Australian actress, writer and transgender teen Georgie Stone as she looks back on her memories from childhood to making history as a transgender rights activist. Ms. Stone is best know for her performance as Mackenzie Hargreaves in the Australian soap Neighbours. With that booking she became the first transgender actor to appear in an ongoing role as a main cast member in Australian TV history. Learn more about her from whattowatch.

Transgender actor Zoe Terakes has joined the cast of Ironheart. Terakes isn’t the first transgender actor to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They are the first to join a Marvel series on Disney Plus, but the first openly transgender actor in the overall MCU was Zack Barack who appeared in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Lee Pace as Calpernia Addams.

In 2003 gay actor Lee Pace starred as Calpernia Addams in the film Soldier’s Girl. The film is based on the true life story of Addams. She was working as a showgirl in a transgender revue in Nashville, Tennessee. She meets a soldier named Barry. They hit it off and start dating. Word spreads among his fellow servicemen that Barry is dating a trans woman and he faces increasing harassment. Ultimately, while Calpernia performs in a pageant in Nashville, Barry is beaten to death in his sleep by a fellow soldier. Lee Pace recently talked about his role in the film which got him a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2004 Golden Globes. Pace commented recently that if the film was being produced today the role would most assuredly go to a trans actress. Learn more from IN Magazine.

The artist formerly known as Tyra Sanchez is returning to drag in a new chapter. In March 2020, James Ross – the artist formerly known as Tyra Sanchez – officially retired from drag with a simple announcement on Instagram: “For those asking, Tyra Sanchez has fulfilled her purpose in my life. I, James Ross, no longer want to be referred to as Tyra, Tyra Sanchez, her, she, girl, or queen.”

Now Tyra is about to make a long-rumored comeback under a new drag name: King Tyra. The King will first be available to fans on the Only Fans site. But who know where her career could go from here.

Negha S

In the not-so-distant past film depictions of trans characters, including in Bollywood and south India, have remained misrepresentative and triggering. There, as in Hollywood people in the trans community have begun to ask “Why are cisgender male actors getting transgender roles?” As Pakistani trans actress Alina Khan says, “You just can’t put a wig and a dress on a man and he becomes a trans, banawati nahin hai (you can’t fake being trans). It’s natural.” Khan and Tamil actor Negha S are lucky enough to be working in the South Asian film industry but they are also advocating for more trans actors in trans roles. Get more on the subject from The Indian Express.

Trans in Film and Video will be back with all the entertainment news next month.

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Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment