Glee changes Rocky Horror lyrics: Is "transsexual" a bad word?

[Butterfly]

Glee changes Rocky Horror lyrics: Is "transsexual" a bad word?
The Bilerico Project
Filed by: Alex Blaze
October 19, 2010 6:00 PM


http://www.bilerico.com/2010/10/glee_changes_rocky_lyrics_is_transsexual_a_bad_wor.php


The soundtrack for the Rocky Horror Show episode of Glee is out, and they changed a few of the lyrics to clean them up for prime time. Fortunately for them, they didn't attempt the dirtiest songs in the play and most of the sexuality comes from the scripted scenes, not the songs themselves, although they did do a clean version of "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" and made odd changes to "Sweet Transvestite." "Sweet Transvestite" is sung by Mercedes, de-transing and de-gaying it, and the lyrical tweaks make the de-queering more evident.

[Samson99]

Did they really do that? I was talking to few friends who thought that would happened, but I was hoping they would stick to the original.

Is transvestite really not okay to say on TV? On a show that is targeting teens, who should already know and have accepted what the term means?

I don't know, maybe some parents don't like it, but I've never been one for censorship in situations like this one. There's nothing wrong with being queer or in the LGBTQ spectrum. I wish people could realize that. 

[glendagladwitch]

I think source is a  major factor.  I would have no problem with Glee honoring the original lyrics of Rocky Horror, but I didn't appreciate the October 18 episode of "How I Met Your Mother," with "Ted" acting grossed out at being propositioned by a supposed "Drag Queen" and calling her "Sir," and then the cis female joking about being insulted by him thinking she was a "->-bleeped-<-."  I don't know if I can watch that show anymore.

[Darner]

I just rechecked the episode and this particular song (Sweet transvestite). They censored "transsexual" but not the word "satanic". No comment.