Movies/tv shows with trans characters you loved or hated

[Nero]

I really liked 'Normal'.  I liked the scene when she wears earrings to work. And I liked how it portrayed the struggles of her wife and son.

I also really like 'A girl like me'. It was so terribly sad but I felt really portrayed the pain and confusion of a trans teen.

'Boys don't cry' was in a word: disturbing.

I liked the Angel character in Rent.

How about you?

Which movies or tv shows with trans characters did you like?
Which ones did you hate?

[Kate]

While not exactly trans, I really related to the character and movie Orlando - and in more ways than just the gender aspects.

~Kate~

[debbiej]

I'm still building my trans related library but liked 'Boys Don't Cry" and yes it was very disturbing. Very well done.

I liked "Bird Cage" too. I don't think they ever came out and called Nathan Lane's character trans (rather than "just" gay) but it seems to me he was definitely trans. I'd be curious to get other's opinion on this.

"Tootsie", while not trans, raised some gender issues for me as he discovered feelings that he had not allowed himself to feel before his "transformation".

"But I'm a Cheerleader" was hilarious and, it seemed to me, right on in it's betrayal of the whole glbt community and its diversity - from glbt persons and their families and the community in which we all must live.

"TransAmerica" will always be special for me since it was the first mainstream movie, that I know of, that dealt with trans issues in a healthy way. Therefor I could order it and not have my wife wonder why I, a supposedly straight husband, would buy such a film. It was later that year that I finally told her I was trans. Yep, it will be one of those special movies for me.

Debbie

[Nero]

I liked "Bird Cage" too. I don't think they ever came out and called Nathan Lane's character trans (rather than "just" gay) but it seems to me he was definitely trans. I'd be curious to get other's opinion on this.

I LOVE the Bird Cage! And yes, The character seemed very trans to me too. He/she was always in 'female mode' playing a female character, which is something I did as a child to express myself (yet it was 'male mode' in my case.)
It also seemed like they really felt like the mother of the family. There was a lot of pain expressed too.

[Dennis]

I loved Normal. It was such a beautiful depiction of a transwoman. I was going through the same relationship crap she was when I saw it, so I really should see it again.

TransAmerica, I really liked Felicity Huffman's character. That armor she build against the world. The therapy stuff was very well done.

And Terrence Stamp in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Oh, and who could forget Jack Lemmon in Some Like it Hot.

Not too many FtM characters though. I was also disturbed by Boys Don't Cry.

Dennis

[katia]

soldier's girl

[tinkerbell]

Different for girls.  I also think that boys don't cry was pretty disturbing, especially the part where Brandon is raped.

tink

[Jaiden]

I have to agree Debbie.."But Im a Cheerleader" was funny. "Boys Dont Cry" was another great one

[debbiej]

I almost forgot about "Kiss of the Spider Woman". William Hurt won the best actor oscar for this one. I remember watching it as part of a Quaker (I was attending a Quaker School at the time) men's group. I came incredibly close to telling these men my deepest feelings about my true self after watching Hurt portray a very conflicted soul - Dealing with his fantasies of being the person he truly was while behind prison bars. I think it is available in VHS but I have been waiting patiently for it to come out on DVD so I can revisit this one. Apparently there are some artistic differences between the director and the production company that owns the rights to the DVD that have stalled the release.

Lenard Maltin's description of the movie states the William Hurt's character is a "gay man" but those of us that know better will see him as a person who is trans.

Not to give too much away, but the relationship he has with his cell mate and how it develops is riveting.

Debbie

[LynnER]

I honestly cant say Ive seen much if any movies/shows with trans charactors. I dont watch much if any TV and rarely watch movies... I did watch Transamerica though and absolutely HATED it.  I suppose older Trans people can probably relate to it better, but it seemed almost unrealistic and overly steriotyppical IMHO...  I know allot of you will dissagree with me.  I do appreciate the movie bringing our issues to the mainstreem movie watchers... but still. I couldnt relate, Im sorry.

[Sarah]

I liked the Trans woman in Worlds Fastest Indian.

I liked her character, and how she was portrayed and accepted.

[Susan]

Lets not forget the transsexual in the Dead Like me episode The Shallow End...

Just a bit of warning about this clip it's about a pre-op transsexual and will hit especially hard for many of us here. I cried, you likely will to. It hurts, but the ultimate message of hope is worth it. What better way to deliver a message, then by using pop culture.

Of course like most shows which portray GLBT characters in a positive light, it's been canceled. But the two seasons are well worth the watch and to be added to your dvd collection. There are rumors of a direct to DVD wrap-up movie, one can only hope!

[Luc]

I too thought TransAmerica was ridiculously bad; however, the main character did strangely resemble my ex-girlfriend. Bitches don't make good heroines. Somebody needs to make an intelligent trans movie. The only good portrayal I know of besides Boys Don't Cry is in Better Than Chocolate.

[Pica Pica]

Orlando was a very quiet film - very odd, Tilda thingy didn't even seem touched by any part of hir journey. Strange detachment. Not sure if I liked it or not. My mate lived in a squat near the director and next door to shane mcgowan.

Some like it hot has the best ever >-bleeped-< >-bleeped-< in the world.

Found Ma Vie En Rouge irritating. It was half whimsy and half serious - couldn't plug into it.

I did like Priscilla - terrance stamp is very low key, even in some of the crazy costumes - very laid back and cool. I liked the other two as well, but felt less for them.

[Nero]

Lets not forget the transsexual in the Dead Like me episode The Shallow End...

Just a bit of warning about this clip it's about a pre-op transsexual and will hit especially hard for many of us here. I cried, you likely will to. It hurts, but the ultimate message of hope is worth it. What better way to deliver a message, then by using pop culture.

Of course like most shows which portray GLBT characters in a positive light, it's been canceled. But the two seasons are well worth the watch and to be added to your dvd collection. There are rumors of a direct to DVD wrap-up movie, one can only hope!

Oh god. I'm crying. I watched it before when you first posted it, Susan. But I am crying. I just had Mother watch it. It's exactly how I feel. How I've always felt. Thank you.

[Susan]

You are welcome Nero putting a treat in the just for us area...

[Shana A]

I liked Orlando the movie, however I absolutely loved the book! Virginia Woolf's writing is superb.

I loved the movie Southern Comfort, documentary about FTM Robert Eads, but it's devastating.

I haven't yet rented Boys Don't Cry, I just don't know if I'll be able to handle it.

y2g

[debbiej]

Lets not forget the transsexual in the Dead Like me episode The Shallow End...

Just like some people find it difficult to relate to the main character in Transamerica I find it difficult to relate to the character in your clip Susan. I am a person of faith and have a theology that is different than that of this character. My idea of God is not an entity that has control over my life or my situation. Therefor I can't "blame" her for doing this to me.

Thank God that there are different ways to see God and different movies to help us to see life from different perspectives.

Debbie

Posted on: January 17, 2008, 05:48:44 PMI finally got around to watching "Normal". I'm glad it was mentioned in this post. There are some very powerful scenes that left me in tears. In parts it is almost too close to what I have been experiencing.

Debbie