Antidote TV Show to Dr Phil, Maury, Springer, Giraldo, et. al.

[umop ap!sdn]

Are there really myths that exist that transsexual women can't pass and all act like men?

Yes. This one was actually portrayed on an episode of Sex And The City. Needless to say, it was the last episode of that show I will ever watch.

[HelenW]

I'd like to see a portion of a transsexual's life shown before transition, the pain and abuse that some have to endure because of it (Like the movie, Ma Vie en Rose), and then the good transition does for us, even with the pain and abuse that goes with it.  I'm thinking flashbacks while a successful, passing transwoman (not a female actress) tells her story to her kids.

I also wish I could see more emphasis on the difference between orientation and identity.  Having orientation mixed up with transsexual identification is a price we pay, I think, partly out of our culture's beliefs and partly because of our necessary alliance with the GLB community.  The orientation thing seems the be the first erroneous conclusion that most people jump to when they consider or hear of a transsexual who is transitioning. 

And I'd like to see a parody showing the talk show hosts mentioned in the title of the thread as guests in a talk show and then beating each other up and screaming, "WHATEVER!!!" at each other.  Springer could come out in drag, Geraldo can be exposed as a FtM, Dr Phil as a ->-bleeped-<- ->-bleeped-<-, etc.  It has huge possibilities!  >

meine zwei Pfennig,
helen

[Hazumu]

I like the suggestions I've seen posted here so far. 

Here's what I was thinking when I created the topic--

What would you want your audience to learn about transgendereds?

While ->-bleeped-<- (including intersex conditions) is rare, it's perfectly natural.  Also, what often makes the individual appear to be a flakey loser is often brought about by their being badly treated by others for their differentness.  I'd also like to show how other societies cherish and celebrate transgendered individuals.

What would you want them to see?

Successful, well adjusted transgendereds.  I would like to seed the audience with trans-men and trans-women who pass well, AND those 'normals' who are likely to be bigoted against transgendered.  The payoff would come when I ask the TGs to stand up, and the bigots they were sitting next to realize that this person was totally accepted by them as a member of the gender they had categorized them as.

What changed impressions would you want them to come away with?

That transgendered people are every bit as natural as cisgendered (those whose brain gender and body sex are congruent,) and are worthy of our respect for their courage to go against society.

What misconceptions would you want to destroy?  What stereotypes would you want to undo?

That TGs are somehow sick, deviant, etc.  That they have chosen this lifestye, rather than having it thrust upon them.

The show is produced.  Write the blurb that goes on the website to entice an audience AND give them a clear idea of what to expect from your show.

(Stealing from Dr Phil's blurb)
Imagine waking up one morning and realizing that you've been living in the wrong body. That's what Dr. Phil's first guest says happened to him. Bernadette started dressing like a boy in high school. Now 37, he's Cameron, and is going to have his breasts surgically removed. Cameron's mom, Antoinette, and his aunts say they accept and support his decision to become the man he is inside. Then, Sylvia's 17-year-old girl, Gwen, was murdered when a group of boys found out that Gwen was born male. The grieving mother weighs in on this important discussion. And, a high school trans-girl will be allowed to use the girls' bathroom. That's the decision one Florida high school made. The boy's lawyer and two moms from the community won an important, far-reching victory against community members ignorant of the facts of ->-bleeped-<-. Plus, Jim and Linda's 4-year-old daughter, Kayleigh, was born with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, a condition where she looks like a female on the outside, but inside, she's an underdeveloped male. Her parents have successfully resisted being forced to decide Kayleigh's gender until Kayleigh is herself capable of making an informed choice!

Karen

P.S.,  Keep discussing this and coming up with ideas!