Transgender Roles Make Their Way to the Screen

Terms such as “the big screen,” “Hollywood,” and “movie star,” usually conjure up images of glamorous cookie-cutter starlets or buff heartthrobs. But now, gender identity in film is no longer so strictly defined and openly transgender actors are finding their place on screen.

Take Harmony Santana for example, who told The New York Times that she has been living full time as a woman since last year. Santana will star in Rashaad Ernesto Green’s “Gun Hill Road,” which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Reality star Laverne Cox, who has been living as a woman since the late 1990s, landed a role in the upcoming Susan Seidelman film “Musical Chairs.”

Although cross-dressing in movies has been around for some time now, with films such as “The Crying Game” and “Transamerica,” transgender actors are still seeking prominent roles. This is partially due to confusion about the distinction between drag queens and the transgender community.

However, some of the struggles faced by the transgender population are found within their own community. At last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, transgender advocates criticized a movie called “Ticked Off Trannies With Knives,” calling it demeaning. 

Comments

[Tommi Nicole Lawing]

I am a transsexual actor looking for a role in a movie. I live in Charlotte n.c. I hop someone can help me.

[JFreeman]

What is this??? Are you kidding me?! It is hard enough for a minority femaile age over 30 to get a role as a female heterosexual, and now Transgender want to come along, and take those roles from the W-O-M-A-N!! This is not fair. If that is the case, then their should be Transgender bathroom stalls in public facilities!!!!

[jf]

I AM SOOO TIRED OF TRANSGENDER TAKING HETEROSEXUAL FEMALE JOBS IN ACTING. GIVE ME A BREAK!!! THAT IS NOT FAIR! IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT ALL THE PRODUCTION WORK IS GOING OUT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND AS AN EXTRA BACKGROUND WOMAN THAT LEAVES ME WITH NO CHANCE. I AM A BLACK AFRO AMERICAN WOMAN OVER 40. WOW WHAT ARE MY CHANCES NOW??? WHY NOT HAVE A TRANSGENDER PUBLIC BATHROOM? YOU DON'T KNOW THE WOMAN FROM THE MAN. NOW THAT IS WHAT IS NOT MORALLY RIGHT!!!

[Jes]

I would like to write that the comments that jf and Jfreeman are extremely rude and ignorant. I don't know if you know this, but TRANSGENDER WOMEN AND MEN HAVE AS MUCH IF NOT MORE DESERVANCE OF OPPORTUNITY THAN CIS MEN AND WOMEN. What you have both said about public bathrooms- BULL SHIT. It's not like you know who is in the stall next to you anyways.
And what is morally right? Would that be discriminating against a group of people because of what is between their legs or would it be shaming and bashing this same group of people because their anatomy and pasts don't align with your own.
Grow up and learn about what morals really are. Thanks.