Danielle Solzman
According to today’s GLAAD panel at the TCA summer meetings, there are only 11 transgender characters on broadcast, cable, and streaming television series. These numbers are as of today: August 4, 2017.
These are numbers that need to improve because 11 is a small number when you factor in the 278 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender characters (71 on broadcast, 142 on cable, 65 on streaming). Of the 83 bisexual characters, there are 64 women and the 19 men are often characterized as jokes. How are transgender youth going to feel comfortable coming out if they don’t have see any role models to look up to on television? Even in the movies, the numbers are low.
GLAAD’s panel on transgender inclusivity included Laverne Cox, Alexandra Billings, Jill Soloway, Shadi Petosky, and Rhys Ernst. Of the 11 aforementioned transgender characters, three of them are on Transparent.
Cox spoke about how transgender people are being killed because people have misconceptions. Meanwhile, Shadi Petosky opened up on her thoughts about the early transgender characters.
L. Cox: We gotta tell these stories better b/c lives are on the line. Trans people are being murdered…b/c of misconceptions of who we are.
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 4, 2017
“We’re brilliant. I’m just going to say it: trans people are brilliant.” — Laverne Cox #RepresentationMatters #TCA17
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 4, 2017
“It was all heartbreaking” says @shadipetosky of early #trans characters but LOVES @DifficultOnHulu‘s trans waitress. #TCA17 #glaad
— Damian Holbrook (@damianholbrook) August 4, 2017
A few notes on why transgender representation is as bad as it has been on television:
Holy cow — 87% of people in America know someone who identifies as LGB but 84% of people don’t know anyone who is transgender. #TCA17 #GLAAD
— Meg(an) Vick (@MeggoInc) August 4, 2017
88% of Trans characters in last 20 years have been defamatory. Most common on-screen job: Sex worker #RepresentationMatters #Glaad #TCA17
— Damian Holbrook (@damianholbrook) August 4, 2017
Holbrook tweeted some of the panel’s highlights. Holbrook points out that GLAAD wants a day where a transgender character is in a leading role but it’s not about their being trans.
