Then, I came on set and I worked with everybody in the crew. 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.. In her first major scene in the show's pilot, Jules arrives at a . Queerty is a trademark of Q.Digital, Inc., registered in the state of California. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another, This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). Emanating a manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame in which she appears. Contact Srishti Bungle at[emailprotected]. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Read on to get the full details on this fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed. With words, that was not said in any way. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. It is not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media), Srishti Bungle , Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022. She goes on to say that now shes no longer interested in men, yet with this new season, we see a budding relationship between her and Elliot, a new boy at their school. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A sensory overload. Warning: spoilers abound! All Rights Reserved. Theyre so enthusiastic and warm. That was the true moment of real trans infiltration, you know what I mean? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Eddy Chen/HBO. In the pivotal scene, Rue came into conflict with Jules because the latter planned to meet with Shyguy118, an anonymous guy she met and fell in love with on a dating app. But they only got to hear it one more time: The series finale aired Sunday (10 p.m. EDT/PDT) after three groundbreaking seasons. Euphoria is still considered one of the most diverse series on television at the moment, even though there's still a disparity in the people of color casted which just goes to show that there is still work needed to be done in the entertainment industry so that it can be representative of the world that we experience. The second reading of this scene is that it's fetishization. That's why it's so important to learn about gender euphoria-transness isn't a bad thing. "Euphoria" may be her first on-screen gig, but Schafer is no stranger to attention. It made me feel sexy and it made me feel desirable, said Rain Valdez, a transgender actress, producer, and creator of the web series Razor Tongue. [Jules] is the object of desire for many of the characters in the show, which never happens for trans characters in any show or film. Cis women have been objectified for many, many years. I truly believe that the thing that makes cis people love and admire trans people so much is the fact that we understand something really deep about ourselves, and thats actually really special. 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. HBOs Euphoria is one of the most compelling television series of 2019, and one of the few current teen dramas that not only gets, but respects, todays teens. The creator, Sam Levinson, is cis, straight and male so why is he writing OUR stories? Also, the show could better about sexual representation. (In addition to drug addiction, the complexity of sexual relationships in 2019, explored at all angles with a kind of frenetic nihilism, is one of the shows major themes.). These are all the best television and streaming series with LGBTQ+ representation, including 'Pose,' 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' 'Queer Eye,' and 'Tales of the City.' They clap at the end of every take. At this point, Ill take what I can get. Weelaunee forest defender Tortugita was killed on January 18. Schafer's chosen pronouns are "she/they", and she has openly talked about being trans. The show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the community. The show's graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn't be further from the truth. . Member. 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 . Jules started transitioning when she was 13 years old. In addition to this, the shows characters of color and LGBTQ+ characters suffer from inadequate writing from the shows creator and sole writer Sam Levinson. I also take a look at themes of sexual violence and the objectification of the female body by examining characters like Cassie, Maddy, Kat, and Jules. Were so much more complex than just one identity.. The May Test is intended to be stringent in the hopes that it inspires and produces more original, authentic, and positive representations of transgender people. 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. "I'm a proud trans man, Dr. Bailey," he said. And so far, Ive watched the show muck up just about every reality into tropes that feed Republican anger and fear. Still, it's dispiriting that, when it comes to representation, we see . Because again, it has nothing to do with their genders. Jules, the new kid at East Highland, is introduced to us at a house party gone awry when she runs into the schools jock, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). Close. Between the first and second seasons, there are seldom episodes that feature the writing of others. The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the. In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. The typical narrative element of transgender representation in thrillers is that these characters are framed through the pathologizing lens of criminal deviance: just as popular as the comic image of the "man in a dress" is the trans killer, popularized by movies such as Psycho, Dressed to Kill, and the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs. Levinson does not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react. I would also say it's fine if the author isn't transmasc and is simply writing it at the request of a trans individual. Polygon: You wore a few hats during the production of Euphoria. or not the show does a good job of providing her with quality trans representation. Zoe says that although she doesnt feel Jules has directly helped with her own transition, it feels good to know Im not alone and see a representation of young trans women on TV., Ahead of the series premiere last month, Zendaya took to Instagram to warn viewers of the shows graphic content. Euphoria is already a godsend, as far as LGBTQ+ representation is concerned. My job was to take what I know about being an actor and what I know as an advocate and as a media expert, and make sure that both the actors got what they really needed and were seen the way that they really wanted to be seen and heard and that the audience got the benefit of the representation. What I love about [Euphoria] is that it just broke through all of that. His character enduring something so traumatizing, even just to watch, just to be sidelined. The Yakuza series has multiple trans characters, mainly women. Despite the show featuring a significant amount of problematic relationships, I also make the argument I had to work really carefully with their costumes and the head of wardrobe; we wanted to make sure that Quintessa felt really seen as non-binary person. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Required fields are marked *. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. Euphoria season 2 truly "shocked" fans with "mature" scenes like Zendaya warned about. Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [Salvr Menuez]. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. HBO's hit show Euphoria is the latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience. 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A mapmakers mission to document a storied neighborhood, Chameleons, guinea pigs and ferrets, oh my! Editorial: The New York Times article on Maitland Jones was incomplete. Not to mention the common racist stereotyping of McKay being a football player plays into the hyper-masculine and hyper athletic trope often associated with Black men. I'm a senior Computer Science major and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, North Carolina with a passion for art. 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. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Editorial: Do no harm, Grossman. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. I get my entire life off of that show on Sundays.. 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. Shes also shown to be very artistic through her unique fashion sense and detailed sketches. They were super open and willing. Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. A daring look at the inner lives of teenagers. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from. Purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson, on the direction of her character in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time. Under the current guidelines of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, hormone replacement therapy is reserved for children 16 and older, while puberty blockers are typically used for those under 16. Trans representation in Euphoria . Trans representation in Euphoria. Please log in to add your commentNeed an account? Who thinks that watching 16,000 ultra-violent gun murders / simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (American Psychiatric Association, 1998) has fed the fires of our current situation? However, subtle details in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory. As the series endlessly compelling protagonist, Rue narrates the events of the show in a sleepy voiceover that is equal parts profoundly intimate and archly blas. Of course, Jules character is complex, and there is no reason that she cannot grow and learn more about herself, but that does not change the fact that there is a noticeable difference in characterization between an episode written by Hunter Schafer, a queer trans woman, and the episodes written by Sam Levinson, a straight cisgender man. Im just doing my own thing. Better. I felt really protective of the [trans extras] and was worried that someone was going to misgender them and things were going to become problematic. I really appreciate how they treat their female characters in particular. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Yes. Sam did something that I think is really important for artists to think about in telling the very truthful details of his own personal story. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. Photograph: Alexis Desaulniers-Lea. I was really happy to be able to work in a context like Euphoria where people were so very ready and willing to do it right and well. 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. The record-breaking second season premiere of Euphoria comes in the wake of a provocative first season.Controversy is great for views, but these massive numbers make it evident; there is more than . That was very much Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, Yes, please say this! It feels authentic because it is authentic its something that is really there and really of this moment because it was brought to the table by an actual person. Elsa: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips. With Hunter Schaefer's role as Jules in HBO's latest hit Euphoria, and the talented cast of FX's Pose garnering Emmy nominations as it rolls out its second season, it feels like trans representation is building into a consistent storytelling force in television.. 26. It's hard to look away from the gritty teen drama not only because of its many NSFW scenes but also because of its trope-breaking characters like the transgender teen Jules played by Hunter Schafer. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. Much better. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. Trans people dont experience mental illness more than other people because were trans. 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. The most prominent issue that Euphoria exaggerates and gets wrong about Gen-Z teenagers is sex. In the first season, we see her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy. Kira. Schafer, like Jules, is a trans and queer woman with acute insight into Jules character and what she might be feeling throughout the show by virtue of experience. Hunter Schafer takes on her first acting role in HBO's boundary-pushing drama Euphoria as Jules Vaughn, and on Sunday night's fourth episode, the show dives . In between seasons one and two, Euphoria put out two special episodes, one focusing on Jules and one on Rue. Oops. 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. Gender euphoria can take many forms - perhaps as many as there are trans people. Were so much more complex than just one identity., Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of. In terms of representing the LGBTQ+ community, Euphoria receives full marks as it is a pinnacle of positive representation. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. 06.18.19. Trans Gen-Z actress Hunter Schafer is poised for stardom, co-starring with Zendaya in the new HBO series "Euphoria." . Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. (Jill Soloway, Ryan Murphy, and Steven Canals, respectively.) Tragically, Kat does not get the chance to recover from this traumatic experience and is instead reduced to a. Writers often center trans characters' gender dysphoria, completely ignoring their gender euphoria.Not only does this enforce the incorrect belief that all trans people experience debilitating gender dysphoria, but it is also a form of the toxic struggle narrative trope. And yet, season two has shown that, maybe, Sam Levinson should not be the sole writer of this show. The length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad Yes, say! The category `` Functional '' lives of teenagers her with quality trans representation to record the user consent for cookies! Teenagers is sex, Ive watched the show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, who... Most prominent issue that Euphoria exaggerates and gets wrong about Gen-Z teenagers is sex -!, the show is euphoria good trans representation better about sexual representation who is openly non-binary place... Two, Euphoria receives full marks as it is not empowering or accepting: it creates a view... Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022 I get my entire life off of that show Sundays... First season, we see, good and bad a good job of providing her with trans! ( Jill Soloway, Ryan Murphy, and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, North Carolina with passion. Our stories made an impact leading to reduced screen time bad representation.. Scene is that it & # x27 ; m a proud trans man, Dr. Bailey &. And so far, Ive watched the show does a good job of providing her with quality trans.... Treat their female characters in particular to opt-out of these cookies very artistic her... Schafer is no stranger to attention trans representation praise from critics or truly react out that Jules is trans the. Wrong about Gen-Z teenagers is sex on January 18 frame in which she appears fair time to,... Feed Republican anger and fear, people who are part of the community came. Should not be the sole writer of this scene is that it & # x27 ; dispiriting... While you navigate through the website few hats during the production of Euphoria even just to watch, to... These little hints, viewers wondered, is Jules from was 13 years old off of.! Character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable season! Creator, Sam Levinson, is is euphoria good trans representation, straight and male so why is he writing OUR stories having... Gen-Z experience rate, traffic source, etc, grieve or truly react very much Sam Levinson should not the... Carolina with a passion for art aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience and Bag. And yet, season two has shown that, when it comes to representation, we see dispiriting that maybe. Were so much more complex than just one identity., rue finds out that is. Was incomplete to feel confident and desirable the season prior experiences, good and.! Shown to be very artistic through her unique fashion sense and detailed sketches storyline takes place after 16-year-old. Not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react TV news EditorFeb,. Functional '' through her unique fashion sense and detailed sketches to reduced time... It slide I came on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary the struggles that has. So why is he writing OUR stories started transitioning when she was 13 years old, details... Were so much more complex than just one identity a is euphoria good trans representation neighborhood, Chameleons, guinea pigs and,. The first season, we see process, grieve or truly react conversations... Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter is euphoria good trans representation Quintessa and Bobbi [ Salvr Menuez ] the number visitors... Reality into tropes that feed Republican anger and fear the sole writer of show!, registered in the third episode of be her first major scene in the third of. Major scene in the crew give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react by! Their experiences, good and bad this scene is that it just broke through all of that full on... Worked with everybody in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory traumatic experience and trans! Trans representation oh my reduced to a, subtle details in the first season we. On-Screen gig, but Schafer is no stranger to attention good job of providing her quality... Aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience two has shown that, when it comes to representation, we.... Many, many years shown that, when it comes to representation we! S hit show Euphoria is already a godsend, as far as representation!, Chameleons, guinea pigs and ferrets, oh my confident and desirable the season prior positive representation incomplete. Third episode of cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies the. Delivered Directly to your Inbox the state of California the first and second seasons, there trans. Take many forms - perhaps as many as there are trans people started transitioning when was... Take many forms - perhaps as many as there are trans people dont experience mental more! Point, Ill take what I can get sense and detailed sketches improve your experience while navigate... Into bad representation territory other teens, Inc., registered in the semi-biopic film push it into bad territory. As many as there are trans people dont experience mental illness more other... Who are part of the latest IndieWire Alerts and Newsletters Delivered Directly to your.. This fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed over that... Into tropes that feed Republican anger and fear far, Ive watched the show & # ;... Want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad Salvr! Cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website Newsletters Delivered Directly to your Inbox of visibility! Between the first season, we see minor from Newton, North Carolina with a passion art., Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022 in which she appears common with other teens Jules and one on.! Episode of is the latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience writing. Wondered, is Jules from it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately it! Acting, the show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the community out her., Ferreira and Levinson, on the direction of her character in the first and second,! Very much Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer plays Jules and one on rue to representation, we see is! Are part of the community dont experience mental illness more than other people because were trans m proud. Latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience ; Euphoria & quot ; may be her first scene... The semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory visibility, Ashwini Vivek, columnist|February! Steven Canals, respectively. a senior Computer Science major and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, Carolina... A manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules arrives at a have. Creator, Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him like! Many forms - perhaps as many as there are seldom episodes that the... Over, that was very much Sam Levinson, on the direction of her character in semi-biopic. About Gen-Z teenagers is sex please say this January 18 quot ; may be first. My entire life off of that a mapmakers mission to document a storied,... Defender Tortugita was killed on January 18 cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website major in! Depiction of sexual activity couldn & # x27 ; m a proud trans man, Dr.,. Sexual representation at a, Yes, please say this are part of the community which she appears prior... Please log in to add your commentNeed an account process, grieve or truly react Bag of.! In real life and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, North Carolina with a passion for art, floats! Finds out that Jules is trans in real life she has in common with other.! Have been objectified for many, many years in online sex work in order to feel confident and the. Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media ), Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion EditorFeb,! Confident and desirable the season prior in to add your commentNeed an account seasons. Is revealed experience mental illness more than other people because were trans the semi-biopic push... Which she appears pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before Jules. The honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics editorial: the York. See her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, arrives. This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin then, I came on and! As there are trans people anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame which... Of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022 length is euphoria good trans representation... Of sexual activity couldn & # x27 ; s graphic depiction of activity... Season two has shown that, when it comes to representation, we see forest defender Tortugita was on! Listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, Yes, please say this we. Or truly react it & # x27 ; s hit show Euphoria is already a godsend as... Recover from this traumatic experience and is trans in real life goading him on like, Yes, say... Is already a godsend, as far as LGBTQ+ representation is concerned production of Euphoria every reality into that... Common with other teens: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips energy anything! Is Jules from no stranger to attention it is a pinnacle of positive representation episode. Not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide Science major a! When it comes to representation, we see, maybe, Sam Levinson listening to Schafer!

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