What is broadcast in the UK reflects on you as a trans*person. Every month it is a case of spot the positives. Almost all television featuring anything remotely associated with trans*people is negative, comical or are negative stereotypes.
So if we do not list them they go unchallenged as evidence is needed to effect change! Or even give awards.
It is a thankless and time-consuming task - as you can imagine especially when a trans character is introduced ... Nevertheless rest
assured someone is watching even if you can't.
High Points
This Morning
I'm a Celebrity
Low points
Jerry Springer
Mrs Brown's Boys
and Eddie Redmayne rewriting history.
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ALL MONTH
"I'm a Celebrity Get me out of Here!" featured Lady C (AKA Lady Colin Campbell) well known face in the 80s and 90s trans*community as she turned up on most documentaries during that time (we have the clips).
The interesting issue is she was brought up as a boy and still challenges bullying of gender variant children and any sort of bullying as she understands what that was like growing up. She is an interesting person and makes 'great telly' but many may say, she is just someone who married a title and has milked it long after they separated, arrogant and condescending. She plays the part very well, and seems more posh now than she was 25 years ago. Which in itself is a tad suspicious
This ran all month so just the one entry here other than when she was invited onto Alan Carr Chatty Man later in the month (see below).The Danish Girl Promotion
"The Danish Girl" Movie with Eddie Redmayne appearing on all channels (11/12 Lorraine), and invited onto talk shows to talk about playing Lili Elbe. The constant stating incorrectly "She was the first to undergo gender confirmation surgery, is and you can quote me on this incorrect. As we first need to decide what this means. Most transgender people I know have not needed a third party to 'confirm' their identity, Second we have to examine what is it she had done.
Well first off I have it on record that Dora R. was treated before Lili and successfully. However, as she was a cook in a Berlin Restaurant and disappeared, as in she was not middle class and had a partner who would write a book about her (remember we are taking the trans-currency as we do today of a wife who wanted to sell a book so it is likely it was somewhat embellished). Also Eddie looks nothing like Lili. Eddie feminsied himself to look like a femme Eddie. Not Lili. This again give the false impression that Lili was some Hollywood Starlet - she was just an average looking woman. To be honest I thin Eddie Izzard is a far better match than Eddie Redmayne - go see for yourself. Also if we are looking at castration as GRS(?) then this has been done for 1000s of years - probably since the beginning of time. We know Roman Emperors had GRS. So this 'FIRSTS' is claptrap. And ignorance. I think we should at least correct them if we can on twitter. However, as Click bait it works great. Trans were invented in 1930 - it's True I heard it on the telly!
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Jerry Springer
Pick
Pretenders Exposed!: Outrageous American talk show in which Jerry Springer and his guests engage in lively - and sometimes heated - discussion about relationship issues.
Comment
Problem is obvious... Pretender!
Trans man comes out to girl he is dating and she hits the roof. Well that is probably to be expected. However, to suggest he is 'pretending' to be a man is not only insulting is is transphobic!
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American Dad!
BBC THREE
11/18. Old Stan in the Mountain: When Stan is rude, an old man casts a hex upon him to make him old. To lift the hex, Stan has to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Contains adult humour. Also in HD. [S]
Transcript
Stan - Are hexes even real?
(Another patient dressed as a cowboy passing) - "Did you say Texas isn't real?"
Doctor - "No Hexes!"
Patient - "Ahh OK good, cos Texas is real, that's for sure, and now if you can excuse me I am going to have my penis removed, in the first of many painful steps it takes to become a woman."
Comment
Stan is in a hospital examination room and the following exchange occurs as another patient is passing... It has no relevance to the story unfolding other than transgender currency being exploited for laughs just for the sake of it. Plus there still remains this idea that having surgery 'makes a person designated male at birth as woman. "To become a woman."
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Jerry Springer
Pick
Outrageous American talk show in which Jerry Springer and his guests engage in lively - and sometimes heated - discussion about relationship issues.
Comment
Entitled 'Tranny Bomb'... It is the usual man adores girlfriend until he is told she, "was born a man", and then all hell breaks loose.
Despite the fact she is the exact same GF he had 30 seconds earlier.
Transpanic remains a very serious issue, and is cited often in cases of violence and even murder. To make a spectacle of it and the trans*woman, to then appear unfeeling and equally malicious, laughing at him for not knowing adds fuel to the fire. Just unpleasant all around, and does nothing to advance the positive treatment of transgender people in the world.
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New- Reggie Yates' Extreme UK- Gay and under attack
07/12 (Repeated again on the 11/12, 21/12)
BBC THREE
1/3. Reggie discovers that young black and Asian gays and transsexuals meet hostility from their own communities. Contains some strong language. Also in HD. [S]
Comment
This was very thin on the ground, in that he struggled to find people to talk to on camera about these issues from minority groups.
There was one person however, who was positively received by her parents, but stated she was constantly aware of whispers and comments when she was buying female attire and wigs.
Worth watching on Iplayer.
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This Morning
10/12
itv1
A look at the day's news and headlines.
Comment
"WE'RE RASING OUR SON AS A GIRL" was the title of the 10 minute piece.
A mother came on to talk about her child being raised as a girl. And the reaction of those around her for doing so.
Very interesting peice and the child was not paraded about. Rather the mother and a counsellor spoke about the issues.Very well done, as always by our best daytime show see, http://www.transgendertelevisionawards.com
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That's so Last Century
10/12
4seven
Vic Reeves, Jimmy Carr, Dom Joly, James Corden and others take a warm, funny look at gadgets, gizmos and games of childhood and
Christmases past. (Ep1/3) [AD,S]
Comment
This was quite an interesting Faux Pas by Vic Reeves when trying to explain a Sony Walkman to his kids.
He said - "It was the first time you could take music out onto the street other than having a tranny to your ear..." (He corrects himself...)... A transistor radio!!!"
Wife - "Few! - I was like what?!"
This is good to see, that the, "say no to tranny" campaign we have run for many many years (when everyone used it and we said no) is having an impact.
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Alan Carr: Chatty Man
11/12
Channel 4
Alan Carr hosts his own light-hearted chat show. One Direction join Alan for a chat and perform their song History, while Lady Colin Campbell also pops by to discuss her experience on I'm a Celebrity...
Get Me Out of Here! and The Moaning of Life star Karl Pilkington talks about the release of the second series on DVD.
Comment
Lady Colin Campbell, who has appeared all this month in 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!' is invited onto the show to talk about her experiences in the Jungle.
They quickly run out of steam, and she moved onto the issues of bullying gender variant children. She was brought up a boy for her formative years... Now a well known story, married well and adopted her children. We really need not go into too much detail on that score. However, she was quite a common face (no pun intended, although a good one) during the 80s and 90s in the UK. and tended to turn up on any documentary regarding trans*issues. In the Jungle she was fierce and popular as a contestant. However she did not wait to get evicted and walked early, "on medical grounds..." Some may say she was a bad loser? And it was an excuse.
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Louis Theroux - Behind Bars
41/12 (Repeated the 31/12)
Really
Louis travels to California to spend two weeks in the notorious San Quentin State Prison. Built in 1852, San Quentin is dangerously overcrowded. Louis discovers the prisoners' inner culture, intrigued by its rules and language. He meets David Silva, who is serving 521 years and 11 life sentences and is locked down for 23 hours a day. He meets Deborah and Rob, a transgender couple who live together in the prison. And he meets 'Playboy' Nolan, an ex-mobster who is about to be released.
Comment
Interesting family dynamic in a male prison. Where for once she can be a wife unchallenged. This is interesting in other ways, in that she does not want surgery as she would end up in an all female prison, and if she is not a lesbian this would be counter-productive. So quite positive in a round-a-bout way. Worth watching and heavily repeated.
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Christmas With The Wright Stuff
15/12
Channel 5
Lively magazine show in which Matthew Wright and guests discuss the topical issues of the day. With panelists Amanda Lamb and John Barnes, plus guests Andy Nyman on his new play Hangmen, and Lady Colin Campbell on her experiences in the jungle.
Comment
Lady C shares experiences with Matthew (who also appeared in I'm a Celeb). Just the usual junkets that happens after this series. I am sure we have not seen the last of her
and her acerbic tongue.---
QI XL
19/12
BBC TWO
11/16. Merriment: Stephen Fry enjoys some merriment with Jenny Eclair, Johnny Vegas and Bill Bailey. Contains some strong language.
Also in HD. [S]
Comment
This was under the radar transphobia. It is subtle, but scripted by an adult for what was likely a adult female doing a child's voice. At the beginning of each show QI panelists test their 'funny buzzers' that usually say something. Alan ( the regular side-kick to Stephen Fry) tests his last...
"Why is that man wearing a dress mummy?!!!"
The problem is the roars of laughter at this. What is they said, "why does that man have a black skin mummy?" Would they even contemplate that as a buzzer? Or, "why is that man falling in the road with a white stick mummy?" Or, "why does that woman not have any legs mummy?" You see the very fact a potential 1000 seater audience roars with laughter at this concept suggests society has not moved on at all. It was uncalled for and unnecessary to the game.
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Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
20/12
CBS Action
Star Trek crossover series about life on the space station, Deep Space Nine.
Comment
This is interesting as one of the lead characters is the host to a parasite. Jadzia Dax (Dax being the parasite with a past male host now deceased and Jadzia the new female humanoid Host - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dax_%28Star_Trek%29) means that those that knew Dax in their old host (male) speak to Jadzia sometimes as a male and sometimes to her as a female. The very fact that the audience can understand this duuality of gender within one person is far reaching and an often unapplauded and somewhat advanced social construct and concept that many transgender people may well enjoy -
check out an episode to see what I mean. There is no abuse or comedy in relation to this as it is taken seriously. And therefore way ahead of its time. As are most geek TV, me included
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American Dad!
21/12
BBC THREE
3/19. Can I Be Frank with You?: Animated comedy. Stan is spending so much time socialising at the CIA 'chill house' that Francine fears they are growing apart. Contains adult humour. Also in HD. [S]
Comment
Francine is given a male body suit and male voice altering machine by Roger the Alien to spend more time with her husband's male circle.
However the plan almost gets her killed by him. So a bit close to home I feel
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Snapped- Killer Couples
23/12
YourTV
Jennifer Henderson and Skylar Deleon: A devout evangelical housewife and a former child star devise a murder plot that ends with a bizarre attempt at a sex change operation.
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The Simpsons
25/12
Channel 4
After getting into trouble, Homer vows to be good, and is soon vying with Ned Flanders.
Transcript
Todd says to his father Ned in Church - "Daddy are you jealous of Brother Homer?"
Ned - "Maybe just a Tad Todd."
Todd - "I'm jealous of girls because they get to wear dresses!"
(Ned looks angry and points at his son).
Ned - One PROBLEM at a time boy!!!"
Comment
Problem? And a merry Christmas to you too!
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New - Marriage Boot Camp - Reality Stars
28/12
ITVBe
The Confession: Reality series. Hank finally breaks his silence regarding his alleged infidelity with a transgender model. Travis crumbles when hit with harsh criticism.
Comment
[GROAN!]
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24 Hours in A&E
30/12
More 4
Documentary series following patients at the A&E department of King's College Hospital. This episode focuses on young men. A fitness fanatic arrives seriously injured with a possible penile fracture after a canal barge accident. A pre-operative transsexual has a sore finger following a night's clubbing.
Comment
Now this is an old one! here
(viewtopic.php?t=3058)is the entry for it from back in the day. Liam to Jamie - sweet little vignette amongst all the trauma in the wards.
Pre-operative in the listings - does that matter?
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Calamity Jane
30/12
Channel 5
Spritely western starring Doris Day and Howard Keel. A headstrong gun-toting tomboy tries not to fall in love with the macho Wild Bill Hickok. (1953) [S]
Comment
It is very interesting just how acceptable it is for (this historical figure - probably FTM in reality) Doris Day to behave and act like a man. Yet switch it and folks (uses the spitoon in the Saloon - [HACCCH PUTT "TING!"]) there would have likely been a linchin'!
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Alan Carr's New Year Specstacular
31/12
Channel 4
Funnyman Alan Carr throws a New Year's Eve party to remember. Guests include David Guetta, Danny Dyer, Mel B, Greg Davies, Kelly Brook and Nish Kumar. Music from Ellie Goulding and The Vamps.
Comment
Alan cross-dresses as Lady Colin Campbell - well it had to happen sooner or later. The sad thing is it was in her absence. When she was on the show see above - he was very flattering to her, knowing how she reacted in the jungle to those who tried to humiliate her, I can only guess as to what she would have thought of this.
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Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie
31/12
BBC ONE
In this big-screen spin-off there are car chases, ninjas and outdoor musical numbers as Mrs Brown battles to save her market stall.
Contains adult humour and strong language. Also in HD. [AD,S]
Comment
Plenty of I am a man in a frock, in this Full length cash-in on the BBC series. He makes no secret of making a fortune out of this cross-dressing sitcom.Make hay while the sun shines, and he is. One word - Atrocious!
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The Graham Norton Show
31/12
BBC ONE
New Year's Eve Show: The guests on Graham's New Year's Eve sofa are Jennifer Lawrence, Eddie Redmayne, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
Contains some strong language. Also in HD. [S]
Comment
Eddie Redmayne continues on his junkets, this time with Graham Norton flogging his new movie based on Lili Elbe. No amount of research and talking to trans*people will work here. He is not trans* he can never understand what it feels like, and he has taken an opportunity away from a transgender actor. After all there are not many significant transgender historical figures of note that a transgender actor can play. Now this opportunity has gone - in the long run this will be regrettable as in a few years when more transgende4r actors come forward and would like to play this part on the big screen, it will not be entertained, as what is the point? It has been done! And so have the transgender community. No amout of watching Eddie play this role alters that fact that he ain't trans*. I struggle to get past that fact. It turns it into a cartoon rather than a rich experience with depth that only a transgender actor would have. Deep layers rather than thin veneers are the future. After all Eddie is not on
Graham Norton in a frock! He is back to his male-privilege, cashed his cheque, and Lili is Gone!
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Don't have nightmares - see you next time with more of the same I guess?
