So has anyone seen the latest episode of Family Guy?
I have mixed feelings about this episode. While I don't think transgendered people should be off limits for the show, I do think they went about it in the wrong way. Sure Ida, formerly Quagmire's dad, is portrayed as a decent individual but that's all I really like about it. When Brian finds out he just slept with a transgendered person, he literally pukes for 20 seconds--which sends the general message that people like us are repulsive. They also trivialized the transition process. The common misconception is that someone just goes for a sex change operation and Ta Da! everything is taken care of in a matter of hours. They could have poked fun at the topic of being transgendered while still maintaining tact. They could have given Ida an impeccable fashion sense rivaled only by gay men and expanded on that. They could have had Peter comment, "Now you'll know if size really does matter," or "you can tell us who has better orgasms." They could have even had Mayor West pursue Ida saying something like "I've always wanted to try that," which in a way objectifies us albeit not in the repulsive manner displayed in the show as aired. I guess the main point I'm trying to make is that I don't mind a laugh had at my expense as long as some education comes of it, however the show failed to deliver in that regard.