If you went to see/heard about a play with an FTM main character [not necessarily dealing with "trans issues" or a transman's "story"] written, and played, by a gay male?

The reason I ask this is yesterday my best friend [who is a working playwright/performance artist] came to me with that question.  He is a women's studies[queer theory really] major, and thus very aware of the fact that things like this can offend groups of people inadvertently.  [Minorities being upset at an outsider "trying to tell their story" which I do to an extent understand] I'm on the extremely relaxed "Ha, I don't give a ->-bleeped-<-" end of the spectrum on pretty much all offenses that can accidentally befall a trans person, so I know my perspective does not often reflect how other trans people feel about things.  I told him I'd ask around for him, and here I am. 

So really here is my question [yup I'm a bit redundant]
-If you went to see/heard about a play with an FTM main character written, and played, by a gay man would you be offended [off the bat regardless of his depiction of a transman?]

If you think it'd depend on the gay man/playwright himself just let me know and I'll post his name/give you info on him, or you can just google his name and it'll come up. 

Wouldn't care. It would depend on the accuracy of his depiction.

Quote from: SilverFang on April 10, 2010, 12:03:40 PM
Wouldn't care. It would depend on the accuracy of his depiction.

Ditto. As long as it was an honest attempt. But it would also depend on the play. If just a parody or something, it wouldn't matter. If a serious attempt at portrayal, I would hope he would do his research and not rely on stereotypes.

Quote from: SilverFang on April 10, 2010, 12:03:40 PM
Wouldn't care. It would depend on the accuracy of his depiction.

Same here.

Wouldn't care, if it was well-researched. Would be thrilled if it was well-researched and he portrayed the trans man as gay.

I'd also like to add that the idea of having an FTM acted by a man is refreshing. The fact that he doesn't feel the need to seek out a cis woman and put her in drag to portray an FTM character means that he's (1) taking the subject seriously and (2) working with a narrative other than the standard 'transformation' trans story.

Thirded? SilverFang's statement.  As long as it wasn't over-the-top or a parody and was a honest, accurate portrayal (as well as it could be by someone who wasn't actually ftm) then I wouldn't be offended.

Would I rather have an ftm play the part?  Yeah, probably, but that's just because you don't see many ftm actors out there and I'd like to see us represent

Also seconding kyril.  I think it's great that a cismale will play the part.  I always cringed trying to watch Daniela Sea play Max on the L Word.  It always felt fake to me (the voice, the rapid growth of facial hair, I'm not even going to get into the plot).  So to have a cismale play a transman says a lot to me.

To save my typing fingers- I agree with all of the above

Agree with what others have said. If an FTM actor isn't playing the part then a cismale is the next best option.

On a more general note, trans characters on TV or film are rarely played by transpeople. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the same thing happened in a play.

Quote from: kyril on April 10, 2010, 03:06:43 PM
Wouldn't care, if it was well-researched. Would be thrilled if it was well-researched and he portrayed the trans man as gay.

I'd also like to add that the idea of having an FTM acted by a man is refreshing. The fact that he doesn't feel the need to seek out a cis woman and put her in drag to portray an FTM character means that he's (1) taking the subject seriously and (2) working with a narrative other than the standard 'transformation' trans story.

Completely agree.

What everybody else said.  I think it would be great to get trans people more exposure, as I didn't even know what it was until last year...

I wouldn't be offended. I'd rather see a male play an FTM than a female.

Sorry about butting on a guys thread.
Totally would not be worried. That is why it is called acting.
Cindy

I would be more concerned about how accurately the role was written than by who wrote it or who played the part.  I'd hope he did enough research not to have any glaring errors (like getting pregnant after a couple years on T a la The L Word  ) or to promote unfortunate stereotypes.  And I'll agree with Kyril, it'd be great to see a gay FtM in a performance, if he wanted to tackle that.  (Keeping in mind, that there are elements within the FtM community who are staunch believers that you can't really be FtM if you don't like women,  so he might get some flak for that.)

Quote from: SilverFang on April 10, 2010, 12:03:40 PM
Wouldn't care. It would depend on the accuracy of his depiction.

This as Cindy said it is called acting, I have rarely if ever been put off a play because of someone because they are not in fact that person they are depicting.

I like the idea. I mean, personally? I practically am a gay male (I say practically only because there are occasional women I find sexually attractive). Ideally, you'd have a FTM actor, but a gay natal male is a great second choice.

It's interesting, but some of the comments here made me realize something; I think it's having only ever seen cis-women in male drag portraying FTMs that helped me believe for so long that it was impossible for me to ever successfully transition. See also: theatrical productions of Peter Pan.

I haven't read or seen the play, but in the OP it didn't say that the ftm character would be gay, just that the actor/writer was gay.

There are plenty gay men who play straight men (Neil Patrick Harris as Barney in How I Met Your Mother) and many straight men who play gay men (Eric McCormack as Will on Will and Grace).  I'm not at all concerned about his sexual orientation or that of the character.  And after thinking about it, the writer is in women's studies/queer theory and asking someone within the transgender community for advice.

Yeah, something tells me it will be okay.  

As long as it was well done. Hillary Swank, a cis-female did a BRILLIANT job portraying Brandon Teena.

If he was good at it fine. I don't mind. But I wonder if it's less of a concern for me because I am a gay Transman.