It is this freedom to display self in a myriad of ways that is so revolutionary. Also, the show could better about sexual representation. Still, it's dispiriting that, when it comes to representation, we see . Register *It's free and easy. Im just doing my own thing. Better. . When she was growing up, Schafer . 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. An internet sensation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Yes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Warning: spoilers abound! In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. The fact that its even a question speaks to the depth and breadth of the trans stories finding mainstream success, a reality that would have been unimaginable even five years ago. Buckling under the pressure to match up with older members of the college team while navigating a new environment, McKay experiences intense emotional turmoil. 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. However, HBO must not only involve a more diverse cast, but also writers who can bring relevant perspectives to the table. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Possibly the most significant is Ako, the owner of Earth Angel in . With that being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece. Hide Gif. The results show three axes of representation that move away from the traditional portrayal of trans characters: (a) a narrative that moves beyond the "trans fact" and presents complex and plural stories, (b) a representation of the trans individual as an element of value and love, away from fetishism, and (c) a link between the trans realm and . 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. 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. This spring, she's the new face of Mugler's Angel Elixir . In the first season, we see her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy. 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. Throwing Elliot in the middle of Rue and Jules's relationship fetishizes lesbians and is queer baiting. And as such, the characters are never boxed into stereotypesthey are allowed to just be. There are even several blink-and-youll-miss-it moments in episodes where we see her inject hormones or swipe on gay dating apps. His character enduring something so traumatizing, even just to watch, just to be sidelined. But knowing the May Test might be . Hunter Schafer, who plays trans teen Jules Vaughn on the hit HBO series Euphoria, is setting the record straight about her sexual identity. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. There are also little to no characters of Asian descentapart from Elliot (Dominic Fike) who is half Filipino which isnt accurate given the show is set in California with a prominent Asian community. This approach is useful and necessary, but it's missing something. That makes Euphoria the first trans show to employ a straight male gaze, the term coined by Laura Mulvey and popularized by Soloway. Emily St. James is a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. January 9, 2022 8:00am. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. Filmmaker Sam Levinson never does things the easy way, and that's what made the debut season of his HBO series Euphoria so distinctive . It has a very negative perception of the LGBT community. Now it's been renewed for season 3 after viewership went up by 100%. As Euphorias second season comes to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the new season. Jules started transitioning when she was 13 years old. Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [Salvr Menuez]. So yeah, objectify us.. The second reading of this scene is that it's fetishization. Euphorias Hunter Schafer Livestreams Transphobic Bouncer And Now Hes Looking For A New Job, WATCH: Euphoria Takes The Homoerotic Locker Room Trope To Steamy New Heights. 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.. Elsa: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips. 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. "I don't know if I'm a . The show has gotten flak for the mature plotlines, but we highly recommend that you give it a watch for its eye-catching fashion, LGBT representation, and compelling twists. So we had to explain that it would be much more authentic to the world that were representing to not do that. Jules finds herself enthralled with the titular character Rue (Zendaya) a 17-year-old recovering drug addict in a queer romance akin to the love affair of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. One of them was Cal Jacobs, Nates father, who didnt know she was a minor. In terms of representation of people of color in the cast, it can be said that Euphoria is lacking in that department given that the majority of the cast is white, which leaves many of Euphorias non-white audience craving a more racially diverse cast. 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. 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. Yes. Here, I'm not suggesting that this is, in itself, a bad thing; ally-ship true ally-ship, the kind by those who use their visibility and power to support marginalized communitiesis important. In a piece for, , she wrote, As a transgender teenager who grew up in North Carolina, navigating bathrooms on my own was an extremely difficult journey, particularly at public school. Something went wrong. The trans character in The Crying Game is problematic in the extreme, and is played by a cis man, to boot. Theyre so enthusiastic and warm. That was the true moment of real trans infiltration, you know what I mean? Asking this of Levinson is likely to be unfruitful. Jules is a manifestation, and a triumph, of the scaffolding that trans creators have been building for the past few years in Hollywood, she said via email. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Trans actress Hunter Schafer is the series breakout star: An advocate turned model turned teen drama star, she infused Jules storyline with her own personal experiences. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. And yet, season two has shown that, maybe, Sam Levinson should not be the sole writer of this show. Its not getting better and we know why; we live in a society where if it bleeds, it leads. Reym. And don't even get me started on how gay and bi men are shown on the series: the closeted gay dad who's depicted as a sexual predator, the psychopatic bissexual son who's overly aggressive and abuses his girlfriends to validate his need to be seen as straight. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There you have it, Ellie. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. Teen Vogue covers the latest in celebrity news, politics, fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and entertainment. Close. I dont trans-wash things. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. What we see on TV right now is very much where our mainstream culture is. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. HBO's hit show Euphoria is the latest drama aimed at highlighting the Gen-Z experience. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. Levinson is a heterosexual white man in his 40s and it shows. 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). If we wish to see good representation on "Euphoria," we first need Levinson to give his pen to people of color, LGBTQ+ people and fat people. We have to start somewhere, said Valdez. 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. Trans representation in Euphoria . Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Queerty is a trademark of Q.Digital, Inc., registered in the state of California. Abstract. 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. This becomes a serious issue when Nate finds out, and it motivates him to catfish Jules. Rachel Shatto. And one million people are watching. 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. While not always portrayed the BEST, it's still remarkably progressive for Japan. 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. Despite her struggle to find loving connections and the harassment shes faced, Jules is shown to remain a big-hearted and kind character. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. The male queer representation does not fare much better. "Jules is absolutely one of my . Euphoria, first released in 2019 on HBO, stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn, respectively. Not be the sole writer of this scene is that it & # x27 s... 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