So I've been watching the show with my mom and I'm trying to give it a chance but I see so many issues with the show. And I feel like it's just me because all I see are these AMAZING reviews for it. However, I just watched the 7th episode and they introduced a trans man. The siblings are talking together and one of the sisters asks "Has he had the lower surgery?". The response from the one dating the transman is "No, he has a vagina." And then the brother jokes so now that makes most of their family liking vagina. And they also show the transman going shopping for "equipment" with her and she picks out the most obnoxious pink dildo and he's apparently more than okay with this. I won't speak for trans women. I find issues with how they are represented but that's not for me to say because I'm not one. But the way trans men are portrayed REALLY bothers me. Overall the show is terrible, no one has any morality, and the characters are not likeable.

I'm just wondering if I'm the only one who has had this experience.

Wow, that's another reason for me not to try watching the series again, then. That's really upsetting.
I stopped watching it because the nudity killed it for me. (I'm sure that's a petty reason, but that's just me.
I find nudity and excessive sexual stuff in shows/movies to be unnecessary.)

Do the characters have to be likeable?  That vagina joke seems like something that would actually be said among siblings.  If everything in the show was completely pc I don't think anyone would buy it.

Quote from: skin on October 16, 2014, 09:21:06 PM
Do the characters have to be likeable?  That vagina joke seems like something that would actually be said among siblings.  If everything in the show was completely pg I don't think anyone would buy it.

You do have a point about the pg thing. In the industry, sex sells.
It just doesn't appeal to me and I don't buy/watch stuff for the sexual parts.

Quote from: skin on October 16, 2014, 09:21:06 PM
Do the characters have to be likeable?  That vagina joke seems like something that would actually be said among siblings.  If everything in the show was completely pc I don't think anyone would buy it.

That's just it though, how is it their business what his genitals are? And how is it okay for a show that claims to be so progressive to make a joke of someone's genitals?
It isn't about being PC. It's about educating others. South Park had a recent episode that was extremely progressive even with their usual antics. And yeah, the characters should be likeable. Or at least have SOME redeeming qualities. But it really does have excessive nudity, and sexual things. I wouldn't usually be so bothered by this but this show is supposed to help educate the public and what it's doing is cutting out a huge amount of people that wouldn't even consider watching it because of how graphic it is.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 09:41:21 PM
this show is supposed to help educate the public and what it's doing is cutting out a huge amount of people that wouldn't even consider watching it because of how graphic it is.

I was thinking about this, too. This show looks like it was intended to be a breakthrough for the trans community, a real truthful representation of trans life. However, the show is very graphic with nudity, so this indirectly feeds the public's misconception of trans people with perversion and sex and all that stuff... 

Quote from: Mitchell the Deathbell on October 16, 2014, 09:49:42 PM
I was thinking about this, too. This show looks like it was intended to be a breakthrough for the trans community, a real truthful representation of trans life. However, the show is very graphic with nudity, so this indirectly feeds the public's misconception of trans people with perversion and sex and all that stuff... 

I'll say this, up until the show with the trans man, they had not really touched trans people and sex. The ones having graphic sexual encounters are cis.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 09:51:12 PM
I'll say this, up until the show with the trans man, they had not really touched trans people and sex. The ones having graphic sexual encounters are cis.

I see... thanks for the clarification! I think it may be for the better if they stray away from including sexual encounters involving trans people.

Quote from: Mitchell the Deathbell on October 16, 2014, 09:54:44 PM
I see... thanks for the clarification! I think it may be for the better if they stray away from including sexual encounters involving trans people.

Yeah, but when they did add a sexual encounter, the trans man immediately wanted to have sex with her on their date, wanted her to call him "daddy", made a mockery of how trans men have sex and then joke around further about his genitals. So yeah, even though they didn't have sex, they didn't acknowledge the fact that maybe he would have had a conversation with her about what is okay to do and say and what to expect. Nope, this cis woman who has never been with a trans man just automatically knew what to do and what was okay. Oh yeah, I forgot, they live in California. So of course she knows...(Sarcasm)
The show is just really problematic.

I guess I made the right decision in not watching this and not watching Orange is the New Black.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 09:58:20 PM
Yeah, but when they did add a sexual encounter, the trans man immediately wanted to have sex with her on their date, wanted her to call him "daddy", made a mockery of how trans men have sex and then joke around further about his genitals. So yeah, even though they didn't have sex, they didn't acknowledge the fact that maybe he would have had a conversation with her about what is okay to do and say and what to expect. Nope, this cis woman who has never been with a trans man just automatically knew what to do and what was okay. Oh yeah, I forgot, they live in California. So of course she knows...(Sarcasm)
The show is just really problematic.

Wow... that's seriously upsetting. This show needs actual transmen and transwomen writers who will stick to realistic trans scenarios. ASAP.

Quote from: Marcellow on October 16, 2014, 10:24:47 PM
I guess I made the right decision in not watching this and not watching Orange is the New Black.

I always wanted to watch Orange in the New Black since I heard about Laverne Cox, I never did though. Was this show problematic as well?

Not really, Orange is the new black does a pretty good job of showing some of the problems of getting treatment while incarcerated.

Quote from: Marcellow on October 16, 2014, 10:24:47 PM
I guess I made the right decision in not watching this and not watching Orange is the New Black.

I never had any problem with OITNB. The trans aspect is only minor except for in one episode, and is handled sensitively, not just in the script, but also when filming the director never wanted to trigger Laverne Cox by making her play pre-transition her. Then again if you don't like graphic stuff, even between cis people you might want to rethink.

As for Transparent I tried watching half the pilot, it made no sense at all and watched Derren Brown instead, much better entertainment! I disliked it from the credits though, it was that typical purple old-style trans stuff that I don't find gives off the right impression. It put me off this site to begin with.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 08:43:20 PM
Overall the show is terrible, no one has any morality, and the characters are not likeable.

Seinfeld was a great show and almost ALL the characters were not likeable.  I haven't sen the show yet but I'm rather turned off by yet another show with a cis man playing a trans woman.

I watched all of season one and really liked the show. I thought the point of the show was to not generalize anything, and have everyone's faults unique and true to each character's background, personality, and environment. Meaning they don't use faults to demonize general faults (like, oh look the standard trans phobic response, and have that person be ridiculed for it), but have their faults be believable, and show how those faults hurt the person who has the faults. To me it made the show feel un-preachy and relatable. The show already made it clear that these people have issues, and I definitely didn't think the show suggested in any way it's because they are trans. It's because they are people. And to me it's awesome to see trans people represented as people rather than a political vehicle.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 08:43:20 PM
And they also show the transman going shopping for "equipment" with her and she picks out the most obnoxious pink dildo and he's apparently more than okay with this.

I haven't seen the show so I don't know if what I'm about to say is even relevant at all, but I'll throw it out there anyways. As an asexual transguy myself, if I ever buy something that's main focus will be for sex, it's not going to be what I want, it's going to be what my girlfriend (or maybe boyfriend) wants. I don't care honestly about a dildo because sex isn't my thing, so if my girlfriend wants a bright pink unrealistic dildo, that's what I'll get. Sex would be for her, not for me, so the dildo is for her, not me.
Then again if this guy is super into sex, what I've said is probably completely irrelevant. If HE'S the one wanting a dildo for sex, then that is a little strange.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 09:41:21 PM
That's just it though, how is it their business what his genitals are? And how is it okay for a show that claims to be so progressive to make a joke of someone's genitals?
It isn't about being PC. It's about educating others. South Park had a recent episode that was extremely progressive even with their usual antics. And yeah, the characters should be likeable. Or at least have SOME redeeming qualities. But it really does have excessive nudity, and sexual things. I wouldn't usually be so bothered by this but this show is supposed to help educate the public and what it's doing is cutting out a huge amount of people that wouldn't even consider watching it because of how graphic it is.

I doubt that. This is designed to make money like any program is.

Quote from: androidnick on October 16, 2014, 08:43:20 PM
And they also show the transman going shopping for "equipment" with her and she picks out the most obnoxious pink dildo and he's apparently more than okay with this. I won't speak for trans women.

I don't know how it was portrayed in the program, but I dislike the idea that I should have a problem with having a pink penis. I had a bright pink, translucent, penis for sex for at least two years until I cracked and brought a peecock. The colour wasn't brilliant, but it wasn't that much of an issue for me. I do have a realistically coloured one, but the size of the pink fits my body better. There isn't that much choice, especially if you're not shelling out hundreds of pounds, in the sensible sizes.

It would have been more problematic imo if he'd chosen a 9 inch anaconda.

I think MOST of us are not very PC with our close friend and family and if someone made a TV show that realistically depicted most of our lives, there would be a lot of offended people.  I have a pretty warped sense of humor and I look for humor in everything and if you look for it, there is plenty of humor to find within transition even if we are laughing to keep from crying.