Transgender Arts and Entertainment — Trans Media Arts
Hello everyone! Christmas is hurtling upon us like a speeding train, at least for us adults. To kids, it is an eternity of waiting. Now though, it’s time once again to bring you some tasty treats from the world of transgender entertainment. So strap in to your sleigh and enjoy!
Kevin Balot
Pantene, has released a moving TV ad telling trans people they are beautiful. The ad stars trans beauty queen, Kevin Balot and shows a boy in his childhood and teen years looking unhappily into a mirror. As a teenager he is embraced by a mother figure who flips the mirror to show the reflection as a young woman. ‘When they don’t seem to understand you, there will be others who do. Find them. Everything beautiful about you has nothing to do with your gender. The journey won’t be easy, but I know you will be stronger,’ Balot says. Three young people then join Balot and their names and ages flash on the screen. The four walk away smiling. Another positive inroad to the entertainment/advertisement world for us trans folks.
On the Ellentube original show Fearless With Ashley Graham, we saw a great moment happen when Rickey, a 25-year-old transgender man from Kansas City, Mo., met another trans person for the first time. And that person was actress Laverne Cox. What a first contact, eh? Cox, who broke ground for transgender people as an Emmy-nominated performer on the hit Netflix show Orange Is the New Black, shared her story as she talked with Rickey. Rickey transitioned just over a year ago but is still working on his confidence. After learning that Rickey still has surgery left in order to complete his own journey, Cox shard something else with him. “We’re going to give you $10,000,” Cox told an emotional and thankful Rickey, “to help in any way that you need to further your journey.” Needless to say, Rickey was overcome with emotion by all of this. What a heartwarming story for the holidays. See the moment right here:
RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular celebrated the season with a festive, over-the-top, drag-o-rama. The queens are at it again in their spectacular, sexy, Santa-sational outfits. The color, the sparkle, the pageantry, the smell of hairspray and perfume will fill the air once again as the queens strut their stuff. The show aired on December 7 on VH1.
On Nov. 15, to celebrate Transgender Awareness Week, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven screened a documentary about two transgender siblings, followed by a Q&A with the siblings and their parents. Little Miss Westie is about Ren, a trans girl, and Luca, a trans boy, dealing with a myriad of issues like puberty, school, dating and family as they transition. The film’s title comes from the annual pageant held in West Haven, where they live.
Monsecour (R.)with the actor who portrayed the character she inspired, Victor Polster (L.).
Netflix’s Girl, with its cinematic approach and violence, is being criticized by trans advocates because it does not feature a trans actress playing the story of a trans ballerina. Nora Monsecour, the real-life trans ballerina who inspired the show, published a response.
“Those criticizing Girl are preventing another trans story from being shared in the world, and are also attempting to silence me and my trans identity,” Monsecour wrote, “Every day, I see young, transgender people fighting for their dreams, accomplishing their goals. They are not weak and fragile. Girl tells my story in a way that doesn’t lie, doesn’t hide. To argue that Lara’s experience as trans is not valid because [director] Lukas [Dhont] is cis or because we have a cis lead actor offends me.”
Well boys and girls, it’s time for me to sign off. All through the house, not a creature is stirring, except me. The next time I bring you this column, it will be from the East. I am going home for Christmas and leaving California. Be sure to read about it in my personal TGForum column. Until then, be safe and enjoy the holidays.
Moved to make a comment? Login here and use the comment area below.
Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment
About the Author (Author Profile)
I am a transwoman originally from Pittsburgh, PA. I have been living full time for 5 years. I work in retail but am an artist/Graphic Designer and aspiring writer. I tend to address the controversial in my writing. I would love to change the world one article at a time. I moved to The San Francisco Bay Area to start over, again. But recently moved back to the East Coast. The adventure continues...Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
