Political Correctness Has Missed Transgender?

[fire.starterman]

As someone who really dislikes political correctness yet is very keen on transsexuals I find society seems to pander, include and promote every kind of minority. The media seems to be a driving force for highlighting and attempting to tackle every 'ism' it can possibly think of. Yet trans people seem to get completely ignored!

Every soap seems to have over its quota of ethnic minorities. And gays are being forced down every straight guys throats kissing on tv. Yet the only attempt they seem to make on putting a transsexual on tv is Hayley in Coronation street. This, a character who in their wisdom they decided to have played by a very ugly genetic woman. Am I the only one who finds this offensive? To me the equivalent would be to decide you want a black guy portrayed but the picking a white guy because he's got huge lips and just 'blacking' him up. The ignorant public's image of a transsexual is of a trucker in drag and in this character they have just played into the stereotype.

Will we ever actually see a attractive transsexual on our tv screens portraying a decent character? Or is society just not ready for this yet?

[amberskyi]

Candis Cayne

[Stavros]

I think you are wrong on Hayley as she is probably closer in looks to most transexuals, particularly post-ops, and in that aspect I think it is hugely important precisely because she bucks the assumed role that transexuals are given with its associations of porn, prostitution and drugs. If there were to be an attractive transexual in a soap it would raise all sorts of problems about desire, and not just among the men. It would possibly be a distraction at first until, if the character is in for a good spell, the character falls victim to the usual routine in soap opera of affairs, lying, scheming, alcohol abuse etc. I don't think its about not being ready, it marks out the problem society has with a sexuality that it is both vivacious and threatening, and anyway who wants another version of the 'am i Gay?' theme which is what it would probably end up as. There was a transexual who won Big Brother in the UK, but ultimately it is about talent, and that may be another area where transexuals are lacking.

[amberskyi]

Ahh so transsexuals shouldn't be just as attractive a gg woman to protect the precious fragile straight male loll
The only way ts woman will be fully accepted in society as woman is to show that they are no different than woman and that there's nothing wrong with treating/viewing them accordingly

[tsadriana]

Sayng that about Hayley from Corrie ,no wonder why they chossed an lets say not ugly thats rude .lets say untractive woman for the transgender role its because if they choose a good looking one it will gonna end up in so many controversy and not only the guys might be tempted to be more intrested in Ts girl and thats not good for sopposed straight world..All they do its put alot of gays in the soaps not that affects me but the only thing they promote on soaps its gay relanthionships and nothing related to transexualism.

[MacShreach]

Ahh so transsexuals shouldn't be just as attractive a gg woman to protect the precious fragile straight male loll
The only way ts woman will be fully accepted in society as woman is to show that they are no different than woman and that there's nothing wrong with treating/viewing them accordingly

Well said.

[fire.starterman]

I think if we are going to use media like tv as more than just entertainment, but also as a way of challenging societies discrimination, it needs to actually challenge stereotypes, and also educate. There's no doubt there are now a lot of very attractive transsexuals out there, but if you were an alien sat on another planet, who, to get a reflection on our society was going to study television and film, you would not know they exist.

I know that thats a ridiculous notion, but I can't think of many other life style choices which are so ignored by television.

[tsadriana]

I think if we are going to use media like tv as more than just entertainment, but also as a way of challenging societies discrimination, it needs to actually challenge stereotypes, and also educate. There's no doubt there are now a lot of very attractive transsexuals out there, but if you were an alien sat on another planet, who, to get a reflection on our society was going to study television and film, you would not know they exist.

I know that thats a ridiculous notion, but I can't think of many other life style choices which are so ignored by television.

Yes they ignore so many things,that people become so confused and so wrong informed by Media ,that then they dont really know ,what to belleve,learn or see.

[fire.starterman]

Let me put it another way. Name me transsexuals who are well known in popular culture other than being porn stars. In the whole of television why haven't we got just one attractive young transsexual news reader, or weather girl, presenter, fashion expert, celeb chef etc etc?

If your a young gorgeous transsexual the only opinions are porn star.

[MacShreach]

ultimately it is about talent, and that may be another area where transexuals are lacking.

Yahoo. There is one simple reason why so few trans actresses (or actors) break through into mainstream, and that reason is prejudice. Kinda like the above.