Trans narratives with Dr. Susan Stryker

Only 20% of Americans know someone who is transgender. That reality has meant the majority of the public learned all they know about Trans people from media depictions. This is a problem, since historically there has been little to no Trans representation in writers rooms. This has led to Trans characters often being portrayed in ways that perpetuate simplistic, stereotyping, and even transphobic narratives, with storylines only focused on their gender, rather than their whole self as an individual. While there has been progress in increasing Trans visibility in Hollywood with popular shows like Pose and Transparent, there is also the persistent reality that the ignorance manufactured by decades-old tropes in the media has fueled the disproportionate violence, poverty, and systemic discrimination that the Trans community continues to face. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Susan Stryker about the legacy of Hollywood’s portrayal of transgender people in film and TV. We will also explore how some of those narratives are beginning to be challenged and changed, and the work ahead still to be done.