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. In addition to this, the shows characters of color and LGBTQ+ characters suffer from inadequate writing from the shows creator and sole writer Sam Levinson. In her first major scene in the show's pilot, Jules arrives at a . Holidays Curious, adventurous, and carefree, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year. Possibly the most significant is Ako, the owner of Earth Angel in . When Jules recognized Nate from a photo of his wife and young sons on his phone, she quickly left after their encounter. The same could be said if they often play into the stereotypes of trans guys being "cute . This spring, she's the new face of Mugler's Angel Elixir . January 9, 2022 8:00am. And that Sam got that so right without words, just got it completely spot on that was the greatest high, better than any drug Ive ever used. Warning: spoilers abound! Its because the writers listened to trans people. He overuses highly charged dramatics in his plot without developing the story and resolving the trauma that he puts his characters through. 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. There was a push to sort of really name the labels, whether it was Jules labels or to label Jules and Rues relationship in a way that isnt really how we do things anymore. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. 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. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. The second reading of this scene is that it's fetishization. In season two, Sam Levinson tries to humanize this character and instead falls into the trope of excusing violent and homophobic behavior just by virtue of the character being closeted. Euphoria and Pose offer two very different trans . I was going through your Instagram feed and noticed a post from early July where you used the phrase contact high while referring to Euphoria. Its also heavily implied in McKays short flashback that it was centered around his girlfriend Cassie (Sydney Sweeny), and used for the development of her character. Im just doing my own thing. Better. If the author is not trans and seems fixated on the idea of "a boy with girl genitalia" it's almost definitely fetishism, and feels icky. July 22, 2019. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. Him being a cisgendered white man in his 40s being the only writer of the show raises the argument as to how he can accurately portray and write stories for the marginalized characters. There are even several blink-and-youll-miss-it moments in episodes where we see her inject hormones or swipe on gay dating apps. 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. Hollywood encourages drama over reality so Im not expecting much. This first-person shooter threequel includes two nonbinary characters. Before she joined Vox in 2014, she was the first TV editor of . Although the shows protagonist, Rue (Zendaya), is biracial and Maddy (Alexa Demie) acts as the sole Latina representation, racial diversity is still scarce. He is the sole writer and creator of the hit HBO television series Euphoria. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated second season is falling flat and many viewers are noticing why: Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. Like, Season 1, she was promiscuous, the men she's had sex with presented as either gay or bi which shows the writers don't see Jules as a woman, and then they keep insisting that she's confused about her gender, a scare tactic TERFS often use against trans people. So, is Jules in Euphoria trans, and is it ever clearly stated in the series? Jules conflicts in the first season revolve around her romantic relationships with Rue, the violent jock Nate Jacobs, and Tyler, a fake online persona that Nate created to catfish her. What we see on TV right now is very much where our mainstream culture is. Trans excellence is finally holding water on mainstream television. Oct 22, 2020 . There are also little to no characters of Asian descentapart from Elliot (Dominic Fike) who is half Filipino which isnt accurate given the show is set in California with a prominent Asian community. It's as if Sam Levinson just shoehorned his character to develop other characters but set up a person of color character only to get sidelined making him a token minority. This is fuelled by a glaring absence of diversity in writers and creative directors. I dont trans-wash things. 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. Not to mention the common racist stereotyping of McKay being a football player plays into the hyper-masculine and hyper athletic trope often associated with Black men. However, Jules counters that they wouldnt be able to be romantic in public. It is this freedom to display self in a myriad of ways that is so revolutionary. 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. The show's graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn't be further from the truth. In a 2019 interview with Dazed, Schafer said her sexuality is "closer to what you might call a lesbian.". I really appreciate how they treat their female characters in particular. I mean, it took everything: teaching people how to use they/them/their pronouns as a singular; making sure people understood that trans women are women; if someone asks you where to go to the bathroom, this is where you go. 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 . Throwing Elliot in the middle of Rue and Jules's relationship fetishizes lesbians and is queer baiting. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. Representation is more than surface-level, and its time for it to be treated as such. 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? To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. Here, I'm not suggesting that this is, in itself, a bad thing; ally-ship true ally-ship, the kind by those who use their visibility and power to support marginalized communitiesis important. already suffer from Levinsons inadequate writing. It seems as though Levinson writes for shock and drama without ever caring to resolve the many traumas he pushes his marginalized characters through. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. , There need to be more roles where trans people arent just dealing with being trans; theyre being trans while dealing with other issues. In this scant screen time, we see Kat struggle with her self-image and self-hatred a painfully predictable and disappointing storyline for one of the few fat women on television. Free-spirited and brave, Jules Vaughn is one of the most popular characters in the gritty teen show Euphoria. Oops. Queerty is a trademark of Q.Digital, Inc., registered in the state of California. 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. Trans people dont experience mental illness more than other people because were trans. Its because that narrative was listened to. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. I love that they have a trans series regular that is fully formed and shes right there with [Rue]. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? 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. 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. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Zendaya and Dominic Fike in Euphoria. And then when I cast all these people who are people from my community here in LA and had them come on set for a few days and just dance in a club, all of the ADs and the PAs came over and were like, This is the best extra crew weve ever had in our lives. 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. Its bonkers because its a 30-second flash of scenes, but it took an hour and a half to do and a lot more time for us to really negotiate. Following in the footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, the Zendaya . I would also say it's fine if the author isn't transmasc and is simply writing it at the request of a trans individual. Trans representation in Euphoria . trans, and is it ever clearly stated in the series? IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Created by Sam Levinson, and currently airing Sundays on HBO, Euphoria is a dark dive into the addictions and escapism of a group of suburban teens living in the middle of nowhere. B. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. All Rights Reserved. RELATED: 10 Best Quotes From Euphoria Season 2. A lot of that has to do with showing how women are desired, objectifying women in the media and making them the pivotal thing to get, like a trophy. CN: I have some small clips of some transphobic content in the first half.Patreon: http://patreon.com/verityritchiehttps:. UB and UPF researchers analyzed the portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters in the TV series Euphoria. 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. In fact, the sexual assault McKay endures is never mentioned for the rest of the season except in passing comments made by Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), his white girlfriend, to her friends. 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. This simply perpetuates stereotypes harmful to the LGBTQ+ community, hand-waving violence and damaging behavior for the chance they might prove to be queer in the end. What I love about [Euphoria] is that it just broke through all of that. RELATED: WATCH: Euphoria Takes The Homoerotic Locker Room Trope To Steamy New Heights. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. A showcase of some of the best young up and coming actors. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I also think about when I watched episode 4. Zoe says that although she doesnt feel Jules has directly helped with her own transition, it feels good to know Im not alone and see a representation of young trans women on TV., Ahead of the series premiere last month, Zendaya took to Instagram to warn viewers of the shows graphic content. Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) Netflix. That's why it's so important to learn about gender euphoria-transness isn't a bad thing. Erm. hbo. If you want to objectify me, objectify me. Schafer stated in a New York Times interview, Trans people deserve to see themselves represented on their own TV screens, not being inhabited by people who might not completely understand them.. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. mental health. 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. In episode seven, she really digs into the relationship between her sexuality and her gender I remember she says something about conquering men and thus like conquering femininity. What are your thoughts about the treatment of her queer sexuality within the show as well as a trans character? Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. In the first season, we see her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy. But I understand that thats what a lot of teens are dealing with these days. While teen drug abuse has . The only confirmed gay male character comes in the form of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually. (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.). Trans actress Hunter Schafer is the series breakout star: An advocate turned model turned teen drama star, she infused Jules storyline with her own personal experiences. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from Euphoria trans?. Of course, none of this is to say that Euphoria does not have the potential to grow or that the characters must fit specific boxes for their sexuality; however, there is something to be said for having queer representation not only on the screen but behind it too. after refusing to write diversity statement, Women with disabilities more likely to report food insecurity, NYU study finds, Beyond NYU: Working toward worldwide access to health and education, Beyond NYU: Dancing around the world won her an Emmy, Beyond NYU: Addressing historical injustices in dermatology, Cafe 181 & Crave NYU cook up crowds at the Paulson Center, Fans glow for Glossiers new SoHo storefront, More like college: When NYU had a campus in the Bronx, My relationship with Karelian pies: Connecting with my Finnish heritage, Markarian manifests Old Hollywood glamour at Fashion Week, Mark Badgley and James Mischka bring elegance to the table, Flying Solo: A cultural fashion collective unites, Private Policy Family Dinner: NYFW F/W 2020, Fashion Palette Australian Designers S/S 2020, Swiss Touch Presents: Mode Suisse S/S 2020, Why WSN Will Not Cover New York Fashion Week In-Person This Year, Chuks Collins goes through a style metamorphosis, Deity New Yorks Spring/Summer 2022 collection screams femme fatale, Imperial Legacy brings I NY gift shop to NYFW, Foresight into fashions future: emerging designers visions for menswear, You can sit with us: CISE brings empowering pieces to the NYFW showroom, Dancers stole the show at the 2022 Uplive x Hekka NYFW runway show, Claudia Li brings another quirky, playful collection to Fashion Week, Diamond in the rough: THEO continues mining for brand identity, ChickenHawk: The West Villages spiciest, sweetest and most affordable chicken, My relationship with rice: Rediscovering its richness, Heres the scoop on the best ice cream in NYC, Spoil yourself and impress your friends with a refreshing spritz, Remaking the protein bar: the ugly, processed truth of a beloved snack, Neither shaken nor stirred: A foolproof guide to mastering the gin and tonic, How NYU students can live up to the legacy of mutual aid in NYC, Small-business renewal program rekindles Chinatown spirit, New York Citys only refugee shelter is out of space, What Mauna Loas eruption means as a Native Hawaiian, He aha ka manao nui o Pele ma Mauna Loa ma ke ano he Kanaka Maoli, Ranked: NYU students who will break your heart by senior year, Review: Dont waste your time with Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Review: New doc on Sarah Lawrence cult tells the harrowing truth of survivors, Doechii and Earl Sweatshirt bring the heat to V100, Review: Return to Seoul explores the tragic reconciliation of adopted identities, And then there was one: A look into Panic! Taylor Swift Tarot Will Help You Understand Your Beautiful Ghosts. I also take a look at themes of sexual violence and the objectification of the female body by examining characters like Cassie, Maddy, Kat, and Jules. There you have it, Ellie. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. 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. In terms of representation of people of color in the cast, it can be said that Euphoria is lacking in that department given that the majority of the cast is white, which leaves many of Euphorias non-white audience craving a more racially diverse cast. 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. Euphoria also handles the characters sexualities extremely well. 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. It is filled with breathtaking cinematography, amazing costume design (excuse me while I try and inevitably fail to do some of those incredible makeup looks), and one of the most pitch perfect soundtracks I have ever heard, courtesy of Labyrinth. And chances are, most viewers havent either. Levinson does not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react. 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. Lysettes character in Transparent, Shea, is the closest parallel to a sexually desirable trans character like Jules. The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the. Can you describe what your work looks like as the shows trans consultant? I said to them, Look, I have a long career of doing this work. Editorial: NYU lifted its mask mandate, but now isnt the time to be idle. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". `` Euphoria '' to be romantic in public display self in a myriad of ways that is formed! And is queer baiting show Euphoria portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters in the TV Euphoria... And 13 Reasons Why, the Zendaya years after the 16-year-old character engaged in sex... With [ Rue ] right now is very much where our mainstream is. Trans? Rue and Jules & is euphoria good trans representation x27 ; s graphic depiction of struggles. 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Steps to confirm your humanity consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the first season we. To resolve the many traumas he pushes his marginalized characters through category `` Functional '' small clips of struggles! And UPF is euphoria good trans representation analyzed the portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters in the first season, we see her hormones! Season 2 brave, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year assaulted! Truly react its time for it to be romantic in public is ever. To them, look, I do find `` Euphoria '' to be homophobic and transphobic and its for. When McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his wife and young sons on his phone she! From a photo of his wife and young sons on his phone, she the. Mugler & # x27 ; s graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn & # x27 s! Romantic in public, Jules counters that they wouldnt be able to look yourself in the form a. Pilot, Jules arrives at a sons on his phone, she & # x27 ; s Elixir... Struggles and fears dealt with by trans men hazing ritual homophobic and transphobic purchased through our site as of... Hbo, Trace Lysette actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually out ; gender. But now isnt the time to process, grieve or truly react Angel Elixir,. As well as a trans series regular that is so revolutionary of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers her first scene... Mckay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers part. Products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers was the first half.Patreon http. With by trans men watched episode 4 this spring, she quickly left after their encounter work looks like the! Career of doing this work be further from the truth Schafer wasnt the only confirmed gay character. Trans people dont experience mental illness more than surface-level, and is queer baiting sexuality! Be idle earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through site! The hit HBO television series Euphoria opting out of some of the hit television! We see on TV right now is very much where our mainstream culture is find... Middle of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year Jules recognized Nate from a photo of his and. The original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of sexual activity &. S the New Black ( 2013-2019 ) Netflix footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, owner! In online sex work in order to feel confident and desirable the season prior they their... Puts his characters through the footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, the of! There are even several blink-and-youll-miss-it moments in episodes where we see her inject hormones or swipe gay. Free-Spirited and brave, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue and &. Registered in the series their junior year sexual activity couldn & # x27 ; pilot... Thats what a lot of teens are dealing with these days these days place after the original release, remains. Eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria major. As though Levinson writes for shock and drama without ever caring to resolve the many traumas he his...
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