A two-part question: Why do so many transgender people rise up in protest virtually — because it is an Internet phenom — every time (1) a movie or TV show director casts a non-trans actor to portray a trans person, and (2) every time somebody with any sort of academic backgrounds speaks out against transgenderism.
Case in point 1: The backlash from trans people over the casting of Jared Leto as a trans person in the movie Dallas Buyers Club. I haven’t seen the movie, so I can’t comment on the portrayal. BUT, I haven’t read any comments from the director saying that the character is an official depiction of what transgenderism is supposed to be about. It’s about one person. It’s fiction, not a documentary. So why are so many in the trans community taking it personally, as in, “Heaven forbid, we’re not all like that!” Hey, no kidding, eh? I think anyone with a half a brain cell would know that. Give the masses some credit.
As for casting a non-trans person in the role, I learned a lesson from the makers of The L Word, one of whom commented on why they chose “straight” women to portray lesbians: they hired the best actors they could get for the job. The actors’ personal sexual orientation off the set was irrelevant, just as it should be in any workplace.
Jared Leto was hired for his acting abilities, because the director thought he would do the job he wanted done in that role. And, apparently, many felt Jared did a great job: he won an Oscar for the part. Whether Jared is trans or not off the set is irrelevant. And to make it relevant could be viewed as reverse discrimination: trans people would protest if a trans person was denied work because of being trans; non-trans people might very well protest if they were denied employment because they are not trans. It works both ways.
But there is a bigger picture here, which I will get to after Point 2.
Case in point 2: Yet another butch feminist woman has written some nasty mean-spirited things about transgenderism and trans people. You know, the same old BS that totally discredits transgenderism, shows no compassion, and basically wishes all trans people — trans women, that is — would shrivel up and die. Hey, she is entitled to her rantings and opinions. She is also entitled to present herself as a man even if she doesn’t call herself one. She is entitled to both rail against a patriarchal system while in fact coming on like a patriarch.
I’m not going to point you to the article, because, in truth, I found myself yawning halfway through it and thinking: Who cares about this hateful prattle? Yes, she is entitled to her views, but in the grand scheme of things, they will make absolutely no difference to transgenderism.
Then I scrolled down to the readers’ comments and, sure enough — like there are for almost every anti-trans article on the Internet — there were several there from trans people who felt they had to respond and justify their existence to everyone. Say what? Why can’t trans people just walk away when they come across such drivel? Why can’t they just consign it to the “Who cares?” bin and move on?
The bigger picture: Yes, many trans people are insecure and feel the need to justify themselves. I urge you not to be like that. You do not need to justify yourselves to anyone. It doesn’t matter why you are trans. Just be yourselves and get on with life.
There is another part of this picture: some people are playing on your insecurity. They know you will rise up at the slightest slight, which will draw attention to them. Like the feminist writer: she is gaining some notoriety thanks to protesting trans people. She probably wouldn’t have received much attention at all if she hadn’t been so mean to transgender people. Yes, she is being outrageous, for her own benefit and, ultimately, for her own profit.
And maybe profit had something to do with the depiction of a trans person in Dallas Buyers Club. Maybe the character was so outrageous — according to some trans people — and controversial because it would make for a more profitable movie. After all, your average everyday trans person is pretty much like everyone else: boring.
Smiles . . .
Onward and upward!