is euphoria good trans representation

I felt really protective of the [trans extras] and was worried that someone was going to misgender them and things were going to become problematic. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. ", Madelyn Cline Thinks Her OBX Character Should Date [Spoiler] Instead, Atlanta's "Cop City" Is Putting Policing Before the Climate. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Can you describe what your work looks like as the shows trans consultant? Contact Srishti Bungle at[emailprotected]. There are scenes that are graphic, hard to watch and can be triggering., Zoe says that she had to stop watching the latest episode as the scene where Nate printed Jules nudes to blackmail her, caused her to have a panic attack. (In addition to drug addiction, the complexity of sexual relationships in 2019, explored at all angles with a kind of frenetic nihilism, is one of the shows major themes.). The second reading of this scene is that it's fetishization. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. program slammed Euphoria to TMZ, with a representative saying, " Euphoria chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addictionand other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today's world.". Something went wrong. I wouldnt be doing this if I didnt think that this was an amazing show doing something really different for trans representation. I really put myself on the line like that, and to feel totally trusting that was a high. And the thing is, like the self-harming isnt about Jules being trans, except that of course it is. Euphoria was created by Sam Levinson; by all accounts a straight, cisgender, white guy who somehow made one of the most sexually fluid TV shows ever produced by Hollywood. That makes Euphoria the first trans show to employ a straight male gaze, the term coined by Laura Mulvey and popularized by Soloway. Taylor Swift Tarot Will Help You Understand Your Beautiful Ghosts. The second season of Euphoria is preoccupied with a timeworn moral sentiment. B. Almost every episode was followed by a lengthy discussion across social media platforms. Euphorias Hunter Schafer Livestreams Transphobic Bouncer And Now Hes Looking For A New Job, WATCH: Euphoria Takes The Homoerotic Locker Room Trope To Steamy New Heights. Photos Courtesy of HBO TV Features Euphoria. representation has an elemental power. He is manipulative and aggressive toward his wife, children and anyone who threatens to reveal his sexuality, using his power and wealth to threaten and demean anyone he deems less than him. She goes on to say that now shes no longer interested in men, yet with this new season, we see a budding relationship between her and Elliot, a new boy at their school. It does not store any personal data. Not a good recommendation. Schafer has also spoken up about the difficulty of coming out in high school as a trans teen. The fact that its even a question speaks to the depth and breadth of the trans stories finding mainstream success, a reality that would have been unimaginable even five years ago. Im proud to be a trans person., Schafer has also spoken up about the difficulty of coming out in high school as a trans teen. My job was to take what I know about being an actor and what I know as an advocate and as a media expert, and make sure that both the actors got what they really needed and were seen the way that they really wanted to be seen and heard and that the audience got the benefit of the representation. In the pivotal scene, Rue came into conflict with Jules because the latter planned to meet with Shyguy118, an anonymous guy she met and fell in love with on a dating app. The only confirmed gay male character comes in the form of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually. Its shown in the series that her mother was unsupportive when Jules was struggling with dysphoria and even committed her to a psychiatric ward when she was only 11. Doncha love how theyre just abandoning the TWAW thing? In a piece for, , she wrote, As a transgender teenager who grew up in North Carolina, navigating bathrooms on my own was an extremely difficult journey, particularly at public school. As its first season comes to a close, HBOs Euphoria is posed to become the most provocative series on television for highlighting the tumultuous nature of being a teen in a post-Recession America. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. "I'm a proud trans man, Dr. Bailey," he said. Lysettes character in Transparent, Shea, is the closest parallel to a sexually desirable trans character like Jules. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another, This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). Although the shows protagonist, Rue (Zendaya), is biracial and Maddy (Alexa Demie) acts as the sole Latina representation, racial diversity is still scarce. Then, I came on set and I worked with everybody in the crew. But we cannot limit representation to those in front of the camera. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media), Srishti Bungle , Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Borderlands 3. Ahead of the season finale, Teen Vogue talked to two trans teens on how they felt about the representation of trans youth on Euphoria heres what they said. Im just doing my own thing. Better. Influencers: Profiles of a Partnership 2022, How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire, 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Is a Heartbreaking Vision of What Could Have Been, 'The Last of Us' Isn't Playing the Game You Think, The Best True Crime Streaming Now, from 'Unsolved Mysteries' to 'McMillions' to 'The Staircase', Oscars 2023: Best Visual Effects Predictions. Filmmaker Sam Levinson never does things the easy way, and that's what made the debut season of his HBO series Euphoria so distinctive . However, HBO must not only involve a more diverse cast, but also writers who can bring relevant perspectives to the table. There are even several blink-and-youll-miss-it moments in episodes where we see her inject hormones or swipe on gay dating apps. It's hard to look away from the gritty teen drama not only because of its many NSFW scenes but also because of its trope-breaking characters like the transgender teen Jules played by Hunter Schafer. Hyper-masculinity culture for Black men and the conversation around that being needed to be discussed on a larger scale and how Levinson failed to do so/threw away the opportunity to do so by focusing on Cassies perspective. In season one the gaze directed at Jules was described by many as "trans-amorous.". This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. But they only got to hear it one more time: The series finale aired Sunday (10 p.m. EDT/PDT) after three groundbreaking seasons. It is not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide. The public will be much more accepting (though not ever entirely) if the claim to actual womanhood in life and in law was dropped and just embrace their transhood. Social media and sex and where the two intersect are another . But more than anything, it focuses on family and what that means when you get to pick . That makes "Euphoria" the first onscreen depiction of a trans-amorous male gaze. Im always very quick to say, you cant just find any trans person and think that theyre going to tell a good trans story, because we are all completely overwhelmed by mainstream culture and the tropes [about trans people] it tells us even trans people. Euphoria has been renewed for a third season, with Schafer set to reprise her breakout role. But its not precisely the new hue thats captivating viewers. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. When we see Jules in the series, she is a trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity. Jules special episode was written not only by Levinson but by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules. Schafer, like Jules, is a trans and queer woman with acute insight into Jules character and what she might be feeling throughout the show by virtue of experience. All too frequently, trans women are made the sexual object of cis mens desire, and every episode of Euphoria is written and directed by Sam Levinson, a cis man. July 22, 2019. newsletter, most compelling television series of 2019, not only gets, but respects, todays teens, advocate turned model turned teen drama star. The show's graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn't be further from the truth. 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Levinson is a heterosexual white man in his 40s and it shows. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Holidays So, is Jules in Euphoria trans, and is it ever clearly stated in the series? This was a deliberate choice one approved of by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules. Following in the footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, the Zendaya . Jules, the new kid at East Highland, is introduced to us at a house party gone awry when she runs into the schools jock, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). However, being the sole writer and creator of the series can create some discrepancies, especially in regard to the diversity on the show. That the major honor that I give to the show. 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It was just in this pink football jersey that little Jules was wearing. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. A high femme newcomer in town, Jules . The most prominent issue that Euphoria exaggerates and gets wrong about Gen-Z teenagers is sex. Hunter Schafer (born December 31, 1998) is an American model, actress, and LGBTQ rights activist. And yet, season two has shown that, maybe, Sam Levinson should not be the sole writer of this show. While Euphoria 's first season established Cal as an outwardly successful man with a secret life, the second season spent two episodes delving into Cal's backstory and then the breakdown he experiences, which included a spectacular telling off of his family, when he can no longer conceal his identity as a gay man any longer. Euphoria also handles the characters sexualities extremely well. Editorial: The New York Times article on Maitland Jones was incomplete. The show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the community. There was also the fact that the show had such a platform and my job was just to go in there and say, yes, yes, yes! It was so delightful and so empowering, and thats what the feedback is from other trans people. That makes Euphoria the first onscreen depiction of a trans-amorous male gaze. Drug addiction, nudity, homophobia, violence, blackmail, abusive relationships, and much more were explicitly showcased in Euphoria. She also was able to transition at 13 and have a safe place to live, and this is not the reality for many trans teens, including myself.. While fundamentally flawed due to each having their own unresolved issues, they somehow still share a tender and romantic relationship without being sexualized in the way a lot of female/female relationships in media tend to be. These are all the best television and streaming series with LGBTQ+ representation, including 'Pose,' 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' 'Queer Eye,' and 'Tales of the City.' It has a very negative perception of the LGBT community. While teen drug abuse has . Drugs are far from the only tool they are using to not think about the toxic state of the world. Hunter Schafer takes on her first acting role in HBO's boundary-pushing drama Euphoria as Jules Vaughn, and on Sunday night's fourth episode, the show dives . Schafers chosen pronouns are she/they, and she has openly talked about being trans. Elsa: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips. Newly sober at 16 after an overdose that nearly tore her family apart, Rue has found the one thing that can rival drugs for her affection: Jules. The second-best part of "Euphoria" is Schafer as Julesa young trans woman playing a young trans woman. The trans character in The Crying Game is problematic in the extreme, and is played by a cis man, to boot. As Schafer pointed out to Variety, There need to be more roles where trans people arent just dealing with being trans; theyre being trans while dealing with other issues. It is reasonable to want positive representation in hit shows. We should ask why people think Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity dump. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. The typical narrative element of transgender representation in thrillers is that these characters are framed through the pathologizing lens of criminal deviance: just as popular as the comic image of the "man in a dress" is the trans killer, popularized by movies such as Psycho, Dressed to Kill, and the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs. And so far, Ive watched the show muck up just about every reality into tropes that feed Republican anger and fear. Its hard for me to see another trans girl going through that stuff, even though I know its fictional. Adding, Ive been in situations similar to Jules, being stalked and harassed online. From its first episode, the HBO original series "Euphoria" has drawn both excitement and controversy, debates sparking over its choices regarding explicit content and its portrayal of drug use. The young persons guide to conquering (and saving) the world. He was really open and collaborative with Hunter [Schafer] so that she could mold those details in a way that felt true to the story that she wanted to tell for Jules. This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. has been renewed for a third season, with Schafer set to reprise her breakout role. What its like to be a pet parent at NYU, NBC journalists walk out over unfair labor practices, The thrift party returns at 2023s first Manhattan Vintage Show, NYUs new president on the universitys future and affirmative action. Having that kind of communicated authenticity combined with the fact that Jules narrative is only barely tied to her trans identity what do you think sets her character arc apart from other trans narratives that we see on TV? Euphoria and Pose offer two very different trans . With that being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece. Were so much more complex than just one identity., Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of. Shes clearly a positive force of energy for Rue. Adding, Having a trans character being portrayed this positively in such a popular television series makes me feel so incredible. This first-person shooter threequel includes two nonbinary characters. Whether shes biking giddily through an orchard or reciting Shakespeare in a pool without smudging her killer eye make-up, its hard not to fall in love with her. Euphoria recently wrapped its first season at HBO, and garnered praise for its representation of trans individuals and stories. Feels So Real, Even When It Isn't Realistic. Clementine agrees adding that she loves how the show portrays Jules as a normal teenage girl. And I get it its dramatic and interesting and theres a lot of great TV drama there, but come on, catch up. In between seasons one and two, Euphoria put out two special episodes, one focusing on Jules and one on Rue. Pose is a fictional TV series set in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Oct 21, 2020. On "Euphoria," the characters' digital and physical lives are constantly swirling around one another, usually in a downward spiral that ends in alienation and self-loathing. Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. (Jill Soloway, Ryan Murphy, and Steven Canals, respectively.) Just a reminder before tonights premiere, that Euphoria is for mature audiences, wrote Zendaya. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Kira. It is this freedom to display self in a myriad of ways that is so revolutionary. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Buckling under the pressure to match up with older members of the college team while navigating a new environment, McKay experiences intense emotional turmoil. Warning: spoilers abound! Its raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety and the difficulties of navigating life today. In just a few years, the runway model, activist for LGBTQIA+ rights and actress has become a recognizable name amongst teens and fashion industry professionals alike. Emily St. James is a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. HBOs Euphoria is one of the most compelling television series of 2019, and one of the few current teen dramas that not only gets, but respects, todays teens. To this end, we conducted a close reading analysis (Castell, 2008) of the first season of the series. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. But the difference with Hunter is that she was already an activist. or not the show does a good job of providing her with quality trans representation. 1. Curious, adventurous, and carefree, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. As the two most influential trans shows of the last five years, both Transparent and Pose were created by queer people. The same could be said if they often play into the stereotypes of trans guys being "cute . My name is Ashwini Vivek and I am an Opinion Writer for the Trinitonian! There are further issues beyond the show's complicated trans representation. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. One topic that often came up was how wild the show was and its most . In a 2019 interview with Dazed, Schafer said her sexuality is "closer to what you might call a lesbian.". . The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the common racist stereotyping of Black boys and men as hyper-athletic in his first year of college. There you have it, Ellie. They really listened and they really represented as opposed to appropriating it for the sake of being trendy and looking cool, and you can always tell when shows do that because [the representation] is never quite right. Thats why its good. For instance, theres an intimate scene between [Quintessas character, Anna] and [Schafers character, Jules] in episode 7 that was a collaboration with the intimacy coordinator. Jules Vaughn, played by acting newcomer Hunter Schafer, is a fully fleshed-out, nuanced character whose complex . This storyline takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Jul 15, 2019 1,662. Sam took me to the edit booth and showed me the opening to episode 4 where Jules is a child, and its really hard. Most characters on the show are all about participating in the most raunchy sexual relations, but according to a 2019 article in The New York Times, the percentage of real-life teens having sex is lower than ever before. Its because that narrative was listened to. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. Yet the characters holding these obsessions are humanized by being shown through a sympathetic and honest lens. I feel the way it Required fields are marked *. Euphoria is a funhouse mirror, taking the very real experiences of present-day American teenagers and reflecting an exaggerated and dramatic image that tugs at the audiences emotions. At this point, Ill take what I can get. I also think about when I watched episode 4. And one million people are watching. Emanating a manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame in which she appears. This storyline takes place after the 16-year-old character engaged in online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior. Please enter a valid email and try again. So we had to explain that it would be much more authentic to the world that were representing to not do that. Jules Vaughn is a main character in the HBO series Euphoria. The results show that this series presents trans characters in a different way than the traditional one, with a more complex approach far from the fetishist view. Polygon: You wore a few hats during the production of Euphoria. Euphoria, first released in 2019 on HBO, stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn, respectively. Curious, adventurous, and carefree, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Throwing Elliot in the middle of Rue and Jules's relationship fetishizes lesbians and is queer baiting. Also, the show could better about sexual representation. What we see on TV right now is very much where our mainstream culture is. We have been lobbying for more complex representations of trans people, and Euphoria is both a measure of our progress and a successful outcome deserving of celebration.. but by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules, In season two, Sam Levinson tries to humanize this character. Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. This may contribute to why the highly anticipated second season is falling flat for many of the viewers because Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. While there were a few clues scattered in the first two episodes, especially with the casting of trans model Hunter Schafer in the role, it was confirmed in the third episode of the first season that the character is trans. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. RELATED: 10 Best Quotes From Euphoria Season 2. Jules is shown to be vulnerable when it comes to romance, and her yearning to explore her sexuality led her to hook up with older married men that she met online. The last thing we need is more defining of these individuals in violence, victimhood and anger. I felt really honored to be chosen to take the job, and I think that the moment when it happened was this moment after we were given the first four episodes to read and talk to them about. We would have to explain things to the people much higher up who have a say in how the story gets told. Had an exchange on twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be a woman, in that sense.

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