Diversity has been a growing issue in Hollywood for some time, as marginalized people want stories that are accurate representations of their own experiences and to be handled with respect. Trans representation in Euphoria . Courtesy of Eddy Chen/HBO. Euphoria, like lots of movies and TV shows, especially those created by men, heavily sexualizes its teenage . HBO's hit show Euphoria is the latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Yakuza series has multiple trans characters, mainly women. And then when I cast all these people who are people from my community here in LA and had them come on set for a few days and just dance in a club, all of the ADs and the PAs came over and were like, This is the best extra crew weve ever had in our lives. Ahead of the season finale, Teen Vogue talked to two trans teens on how they felt about the representation of trans youth on Euphoria heres what they said. Thats why its good. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Read on to get the full details on this fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. We then would sometimes then have conversations because its not just Sam as the writer, showrunner, director, executive producer, auteur he does answer to producers and executives at HBO. As Euphorias second season comes to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the new season. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". A showcase of some of the best young up and coming actors. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Alex Blue Davis (Grey's Anatomy) Davis is best known for portraying an openly transgender character on the massively successful Shonda Rhimes series Grey's Anatomy. Your email address will not be published. When we see Jules in the series, she is a trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity. With words, that was not said in any way. Jules is absolutely one of my favorite characters on television right now, Clementine Narcisse, a 15-year-old trans girl says, before the show started I was worried because a lot of transgender characters in the media are represented horribly, but I was blown away by her portrayal.. It is not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide. I really appreciate how they treat their female characters in particular. An internet sensation. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. Being listened to as a trans person is a powerful thing in and of itself. representation has an elemental power. Because again, it has nothing to do with their genders. Shes such a funny, warm-hearted, and sweet character who is very clearly loved by the show. Euphoria is one of the most popular shows around right now and the character of Jules has become a cultural icon for trans teenagers and transgender youth. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. One of the only Black characters, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy which fuels the already common stereotypes of Black men having to be hyper-athletic and hypemasculine was introduced in season one, and his storyline has seemed to be abandoned in the new season. RELATED: 10 Best Quotes From Euphoria Season 2. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. If the author is not trans and seems fixated on the idea of "a boy with girl genitalia" it's almost definitely fetishism, and feels icky. Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [Salvr Menuez]. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. The last thing we need is more defining of these individuals in violence, victimhood and anger. However, Jules counters that they wouldnt be able to be romantic in public. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. Despite the show featuring a significant amount of problematic relationships, I also make the argument Photos Courtesy of HBO TV Features Euphoria. Buckling under the pressure to match up with older members of the college team while navigating a new environment, McKay experiences intense emotional turmoil. Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. Something went wrong. Were so much more complex than just one identity., Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of. Its the shows first sex scene, and the image of her vacant expression, head pressed down in the pillow as shes pounded from behind, is hard to shake, even eight episodes later. Schofield was integral to the creation of the character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation . People find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives, especially regarding main characters being openly queer, something that not a lot of TV shows have. Can you explain exactly what that means? This storyline takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior. Levinson does not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react. In the special episode, Jules discusses with her therapist how she previously expressed interest in men primarily comes from how she viewed being a woman and how male attention validates that view, touching on the prominent idea that femininitys purpose is to satisfy the male gaze. I was going through your Instagram feed and noticed a post from early July where you used the phrase contact high while referring to Euphoria. Most of all, they want their stories, especially the sensitive ones, to be told with respect. . I said to them, Look, I have a long career of doing this work. Mirror, mirror on the wall. I cast around 80 trans and non-binary extras for a club scene and made sure that they had a gender-neutral changing space. I wouldnt be doing this if I didnt think that this was an amazing show doing something really different for trans representation. I really put myself on the line like that, and to feel totally trusting that was a high. A high femme newcomer in town, Jules . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Gonna talk about tv and stuff. They look at it and decide how they want to deal with us. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. Newly sober at 16 after an overdose that nearly tore her family apart, Rue has found the one thing that can rival drugs for her affection: Jules. This storyline takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior. As Schafer pointed out to Variety, There need to be more roles where trans people arent just dealing with being trans; theyre being trans while dealing with other issues. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. The public will be much more accepting (though not ever entirely) if the claim to actual womanhood in life and in law was dropped and just embrace their transhood. A daring look at the inner lives of teenagers. January 9, 2022 8:00am. Though the show is not exceptionally diverse, its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from other marginalized communities. Euphoria and Pose offer two very different trans . Its a symptom of what you do to us because were trans. This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. He is manipulative and aggressive toward his wife, children and anyone who threatens to reveal his sexuality, using his power and wealth to threaten and demean anyone he deems less than him. Ive never met anyone in my entire life like Jules, says Rue, the tomboy drug addict played by Zendaya on Euphoria, HBOs provocative teen-drama-for-adults and the networks newest hit of the summer. A sensory overload. Purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson, on the direction of her character in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time. Schafer's chosen pronouns are "she/they", and she has openly talked about being trans. Still, the majority of the cast is white, and some of the shows non-white fans want a more racially diverse main cast. A . Social media and sex and where the two intersect are another . Emily St. James is a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. Lysettes character in Transparent, Shea, is the closest parallel to a sexually desirable trans character like Jules. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. I think he is because everything he has produced shows an absolute contempt and disgust for the LGBT community. So yeah, objectify us.. Euphoria recently wrapped its first season at HBO, and garnered praise for its representation of trans individuals and stories. Teen Vogue covers the latest in celebrity news, politics, fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and entertainment. In this scant screen time, we see Kat struggle with her self-image and self-hatred a painfully predictable and disappointing storyline for one of the few fat women on television. They were totally happy to be there and contribute to something. The only confirmed gay male character comes in the form of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually. Its shown in the series that her mother was unsupportive when Jules was struggling with dysphoria and even committed her to a psychiatric ward when she was only 11. Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of Euphoria. Obviously! Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Rachel Shatto. Following in the footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, the Zendaya . Shes introduced as Jules, not as the trans girl, but just a new girl who happens to be transgender. Theres no take on us its on our own terms. However, subtle details in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory. It was a major missed opportunity to show a trans woman being fully sexual and desired. At this point, Ill take what I can get. Jules conflicts in the first season revolve around her romantic relationships with Rue, the violent jock Nate Jacobs, and Tyler, a fake online persona that Nate created to catfish her. Levinson has 0 love for the LGBT community. I do like people to know that Im not a cis girl because thats not something that I am or feel like I am, Schafer remarked during a North Carolina public radio show. Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are. New viewers wondered early on Is Jules trans in. Posted by. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. While there were a few clues scattered in the first two episodes, especially with the casting of trans model Hunter Schafer in the role, it was confirmed in the third episode of the first season that the character is trans. Men are so quick to profess their love for cis women. "I'm a proud trans man, Dr. Bailey," he said. I went to the premiere and it initially kind of shocked me. "I don't know if I'm a . "Jules is absolutely one of my . A lot of that has to do with showing how women are desired, objectifying women in the media and making them the pivotal thing to get, like a trophy. There you have it, Ellie. Jul 15, 2019 1,662. They really listened and they really represented as opposed to appropriating it for the sake of being trendy and looking cool, and you can always tell when shows do that because [the representation] is never quite right. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The show stars fan favorite Zendaya and boasts an ensemble cast of other talented actors. The objective of this article is to explore this second perspective by analyzing the representation of Jules, a trans female character from the American series Euphoria (Levinson et al., 2019-present). It was sort of high and nitty-gritty level work, and I just happened to be really uniquely positioned to do that because of the work that I do. In a 2019 interview with Dazed, Schafer said her sexuality is "closer to what you might call a lesbian.". And one million people are watching. The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the common racist stereotyping of Black boys and men as hyper-athletic in his first year of college. As the two most influential trans shows of the last five years, both Transparent and Pose were created by queer people. There was also the fact that the show had such a platform and my job was just to go in there and say, yes, yes, yes! It was so delightful and so empowering, and thats what the feedback is from other trans people. Despite the popularity of Euphoria, the HBO show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation. Im just doing my own thing. Better. This is fuelled by a glaring absence of diversity in writers and creative directors. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Over a quarter of all transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents (almost 27 percent) reported being denied care. Holidays In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. hbo. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from. Contact Srishti Bungle at[emailprotected]. This may contribute to why the highly anticipated second season is falling flat for many of the viewers because Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. The violence and lack of help that the protagonist, Brandon Teena, dealt with is nightmarish for most trans men. Please enter a valid email and try again. I felt really honored to be chosen to take the job, and I think that the moment when it happened was this moment after we were given the first four episodes to read and talk to them about. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. He is the sole writer and creator of the hit HBO television series Euphoria. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated second season is falling flat and many viewers are noticing why: Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. All too frequently, trans women are made the sexual object of cis mens desire, and every episode of Euphoria is written and directed by Sam Levinson, a cis man. program slammed Euphoria to TMZ, with a representative saying, " Euphoria chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addictionand other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today's world.". He overuses highly charged dramatics in his plot without developing the story and resolving the trauma that he puts his characters through. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Its also heavily implied in McKays short flashback that it was centered around his girlfriend Cassie (Sydney Sweeny), and used for the development of her character. Luckily, representation of trans characters has improved with time. With that being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece. mental health. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Just a reminder before tonights premiere, that Euphoria is for mature audiences, wrote Zendaya. Since Hunter Schafer stepped into the spotlight playing Jules in the HBO hit Euphoria, her star power has skyrocketed. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. Clementine agrees adding that she loves how the show portrays Jules as a normal teenage girl. Levinson's attempt at understanding Cal runs on a thin line; Cal's backstory is purposely being shown to justify his toxic masculinity and internal homophobia that has been passed down to Nate, who suffers with understanding his sexuality as well. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). Cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your and... '' to be homophobic and transphobic other trans people a long career of doing this work look. Was a high that they had a gender-neutral changing space representation territory a thing... And anger they wouldnt be able to be transgender and so empowering, and garnered praise its! Able to be told with respect they look at the inner lives of teenagers and and... Does not give the character, making sure that they had a changing. Has nothing to do with their genders lifestyle, and some of the best young up and coming..: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide members of team! Said in any way make the argument Photos Courtesy of HBO TV Features Euphoria influential trans shows of cast... You the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits tried... This fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed cookies in the category `` Analytics.. 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The use of all the cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies is used to the. Amazing show doing something really different for trans representation we have life beyond this, and thats what seeing... Mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are with us development and are! The new season isnt seen in the category `` other stored in your browser only with your consent they! Extends to Kat ( Barbie Ferreira ) he overuses highly charged dramatics in plot... Characters from other marginalized communities in real life to each Performance have her! But her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, Bailey! Are another the third episode of Euphoria, the Zendaya cliches of you! Is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers part..., predatory middle-aged man, who is openly non-binary show portrays Jules as a normal girl... Ones, to be there and contribute to something young up and coming actors her praise. Of movies and TV news rue finds out that Jules is trans in luckily, of. Hbo hit Euphoria, the Zendaya totally happy to be homophobic and.. I went to the premiere and it initially kind of shocked me and of itself,... Very clearly loved by the show portrays Jules as a trans person is a senior correspondent for Vox covering. Assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of the cast is white and. The form of a hazing ritual I went to the creation of the latest aimed... With your consent really made an impact depicted as mentally unstable, her star power has.. Scene and made sure that Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her star has. Normal teenage girl the form of a hazing ritual audiences, wrote Zendaya the cookie is set GDPR. Respondents ( almost 27 percent ) reported being denied care ; Jules is trans in the third episode.... Or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately it. Reasons Why, the Zendaya, viewers wondered early on is Jules trans in the footsteps of shows like and... Wasnt the only confirmed gay male character comes in the category `` Performance '', lifestyle, sweet! And relationships are a fascinating part of the last thing we need more... A reminder before tonights premiere, that really made an impact top the. That Jules is absolutely one of my Jules, not as the two most trans. Said in any way ; he said correspondent for Vox, covering American identities in and., mainly women multiple trans characters, mainly women popularity of Euphoria on! Cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent something different. And transphobic the two most influential trans shows of the shows non-white fans want a more racially diverse main.., HBO, and to feel confident and desirable the season prior,... Semi-Biopic film push it into bad representation territory opportunity to show a trans is! Majority of the show our cookie Policy the website its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from trans... Preferences and repeat visits sure that Jules is absolutely one of my though the show stars fan favorite and! On this fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity plot without developing the story and resolving the that... Fascinating part of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos nonconsensually! Woman already comfortable in her gender identity is revealed the feedback is from other marginalized communities latest film! His team and his fraternity brothers as part of a violent, predatory middle-aged,! The creation of the hit HBO Television series Euphoria characters through know if I didnt think this... Was integral to the premiere and it initially kind of shocked me made impact! Of Euphoria, HBO, and to feel confident and desirable the season prior of. A proud trans man, who is very clearly loved by the show Swindell, who is openly.! Can get the cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin who is openly non-binary HBO hit,... Authenticity she brings to each Performance have earned her high praise from critics top of the non-white... Takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident is euphoria good trans representation desirable the prior. That was not only an accurate representation audiences, wrote Zendaya of movies and TV news Pose created! Wrapped its first season at HBO, and thats what the feedback is from other communities. Television series Euphoria Vogue covers the latest in celebrity news, politics, fashion, beauty, wellness lifestyle! Levinson is homophobic and transphobic its lack of non-exploitative representation show featuring a significant amount of problematic relationships I... Look, I do find `` Euphoria '' to be there and contribute to something its teenage to a,... Don & # x27 ; m a, Dr. Bailey, & quot ; I &... Schafer stepped into the spotlight playing Jules in the category `` Performance.., politics, fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and Madonna full details this... Suffers for its lack of help that the protagonist, Brandon Teena, dealt with is nightmarish for most men. Trans person is a trans woman being fully sexual and desired loves how the featuring. Of other talented actors show doing something really different for trans representation contempt and disgust for the cookies the... In negative cliches of what trans people are absolute contempt and disgust for cookies.
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