South Park - “Cissy”

[Boo Stew]

So, South Park did a transgender episode last night and, I thought, they were really quite understanding of the complex issue without being overly preachy. Of course, it all centered around Eric Cartman clipping a pink bow in his hair, changing his name to Erica and abusing his TransGinger (not a typo) status to use the girl's room when the boy's room was full up but the information they provided was respectful and on point and the speech by Sharon at the end resonates.  Here's Sharon's full speech which starts off about Lorde (don't ask the reasons for this are better left unspoiled) but comes to hold a much broader meaning by the end:

Do you know why young people like Lorde so much? It's because she's something different. Kids have had pop music artists flash tits and crotch in their face and most kids are actually smart enough to be sick of it. Lorde represents something in all of us: the truth that wants to be heard. If I could talk to Lorde right now, you know what I'd tell her? I'd tell her not to let people change who she is. I'd tell her that if people are making fun of her, it's probably because they've lost touch with being human. I'd tell her to keep on doing what she does, because when someone isn't allowed to express who they are inside, then we all lose. That's what I would say to Lorde.

The resolution of the episode works well too because it flips the script in traditional South Park style. Anyone else see it? Thoughts?

[Lostkitten]

I wanted to watch it, but I can't find it anywhere DX!

[Eevee]

I thought it was very well structured, but I dunno. Something about the episode didn't tickle my funny bone like South Park usually does. Maybe I was just too tired while I was watching it. I'll try again later.

I wanted to watch it, but I can't find it anywhere DX!

You can watch it on their site.
http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s18e03-the-cissy

[Lostkitten]

Can't be viewed outside the US x_x.

[Tessa James]

Getting past the usual South Park potty humor it felt to me that the bathroom issue was the target for laughs and trivializes the real challenges we face.  Yes, the final statement by "Lorde's" wife was spot on.  This episode also exposes the masses to terms like transgender and cisgender which is of educatinal benefit.  The aspect that troubled me most was the portrayal of all these cartoon characters pretending to be transgender for personal gain.  They were all phoney.  I imagine there are plenty of people who actually believe such crap about us.  I dunno maybe a plus/minus on this one for me

[Miss_Bungle1991]

This episode also exposes the masses to terms like transgender and cisgender which is of educational benefit. 

Actually, if you look up various forums revolving around South Park, along with other sites that were discussing this episode before it aired. You will find that there are a fair amount of ignorant fools who honestly believe that cisgender is a fictional word that was created by the so-callled "transgender movement" (as some of these dunces label it). This includes the eldest admin of the official South Park website (whom I believe is in his 40's if I remember correctly).

I honestly don't see anything changing due to a cartoon mentioning this stuff. Stupid people will think stupid things no matter what. If certain things in the popular culture reinforce their idiotic views, so much the better in their eyes.

I checked out the episode earlier today. Honestly, once you strip away all of the hoopla about it being a trans episode, it pretty much sucks just like virtually every other South Park episode has since season 9. They just do it for the pay check and that's it. Just like 99% of all other television programs.

[Carrie Liz]

I REALLY appreciated the speech about how everyone should be free to be themselves, and that people making fun of them are just sad. That part of the show was spot-on, and will hopefully help add to the lexicon of works that help make life a bit easier for those who are gender-nonconforming or early in transition and dealing with constant crap from people.

The only thing I didn't appreciate was that they kinda seemed to blur being trans with mere gender-nonconformity. They make it seem like trans women are just men dressing like women, and trans men are just women dressing like men, without really understanding what an actual trans person goes through.

But honestly, the message is more than right enough. Because even if we are just crossdressers to other people, and will never be anything else to them just because of what genitals we were born with, the real question is, why should they even care? If it makes a person happy, and they feel like they're expressing themselves, you're a sad person if you have a problem with them.

That is a message we can all appreciate.

[Jill F]

That show is still on the air?

[Miss_Bungle1991]

That show is still on the air?

Yep. Still beating the long dead cash cow even after it's decomposed.

[VivianK]

Something about the episode didn't tickle my funny bone like South Park usually does.

Perhaps because it's about a subject that is personal to you?  I know I felt the same way toward the episodes about Tourettes and Aspergers.  I still think they're funny and not intended to be offensive to people with those conditions, but I'm still uncomfortable knowing some people are out there watching them and laughing for what I feel are the wrong reasons.

[VivianK]

@Kirey:  Hey squirrel, try this on for size.  Free VPN (virtual private network) extension for numerous browsers.  https://hola.org/

[Miss_Bungle1991]

There's only ONE squirrel round these here parts, partner! 

[VivianK]

HAHA!  Weird coincidence!  I didn't even notice "squirrel" was part of your username.  I just like to use it in place of girl/gurl/grrl in spite of the fact that it's more of a DQ word.  I've fallen in love with it since the first time I heard it on *Drag Race S04. 

[Miss_Bungle1991]

HAHA!  Weird coincidence!  I didn't even notice "squirrel" was part of your username.  I just like to use it in place of girl/gurl/grrl in spite of the fact that it's more of a DQ word.  I've fallen in love with it since the first time I heard it on *Drag Race S04. 

Yeah. That would be the one on the right in my avatar.

[Ms Grace]

Given they did an episode years ago which ridiculed trans gender people (even extending it to the "concept" of trans species people) I don't hold up much hope here. I stopped watching years ago but might check it out.

[Boo Stew]

The aspect that troubled me most was the portrayal of all these cartoon characters pretending to be transgender for personal gain.  They were all phoney.  I imagine there are plenty of people who actually believe such crap about us.  I dunno maybe a plus/minus on this one for me

Well, Cartman is always an exploitative jerk and Wendy, in her exasperation with the Cartmans of the world, has been known to stoop to their level to prove a point. I think anyone who watches the show would recognize that neither of them is doing anything for the right reasons and by episode's end Cartman is "punished" as his dream of being the only one to exploit the situation is taken from him. That sort of redeems it in my eyes.

[skin]

I'm trying really hard to analyze it in the context of it being South Park and am having trouble.  So I will just say that it was at least infinitely better than the dolphin episode.

[Abby Claire]

I didn't have a problem with the episode, but I didn't even have a problem with the first transgender episode they did that was far more ignorant. I like South Park, and I don't even think they have a problem with transgendered people (made even more obvious by this new episode), but I still feel like they don't get it.

Dressing up as the opposite sex for privileges doesn't make someone transgender. They had Cartman offhandedly remark about daily struggles, but they didn't really show it. They sort of showed it with Randy's identity struggle as Lorde, but since it was a double life, some people may only see it as dual personality or identity issues instead of gender issues. Plus, his reason for being Lorde started with motivation to use the other bathroom, so it wasn't a clear gender identity struggle.

I thought it would have been pretty ballsy of them if at the end Randy went full time as Lorde. Especially if it wasn't treated as a punchline like when Mr. Garrison transitioned. But that probably would have pissed off a majority of the South Park faithful who look at Randy as one of their favorite characters.

If I do have a problem with the episode, it would be that it was too preachy. I mean, if you're gonna be preachy then at least go that extra mile and have someone go full time. At least the Garrison sex change episode was funny (even if ignorant).

[Codia]

I don't even think they have a problem with transgendered people (made even more obvious by this new episode), but I still feel like they don't get it.

Dressing up as the opposite sex for privileges doesn't make someone transgender. They had Cartman offhandedly remark about daily struggles, but they didn't really show it.

Most people wont ever get the concept of being trans, thats nothing new.  I feel if the episode had of been centered around the struggles of being trans there would have been a punchline for every example and there would be a lot more offended people here.

I wasn't offended by the episode.  I was slightly shocked when I first put it on wondering what I was getting into but in all reality, if I can't laugh about something that I relate to, what gives me the right to laugh about anything that could relate to someone else?  Something I may just not get.

[Matthew]

I loved it, they were able to make a joke out of it, while not laughing at trans people (if that makes sense).
I think we should laugh at it, they did, in their own special way, push in some education and stuff that was good for trans people.
I like the fact Cartman was reckoning he was trans, if it was an actual trans person it'd either look like they were going easy on us, and people would be like wtf, or they would go the other way and people would freak.
I think they handled it well and I laughed so hard at some o' the stuff

-Matt