And one million people are watching. Borderlands 3. Im just doing my own thing. Better. Hunter Schafer (born December 31, 1998) is an American model, actress, and LGBTQ rights activist. 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. 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. Still, its a delicate line to walk, especially when the character is supposed to be underage (though Schafer is 20). Its raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety and the difficulties of navigating life today. Posted by. Much better. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Srishti Bungle is a junior at the College of Arts and Science majoring in history and minoring in creative writing and politics. 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. Its because the writers listened to trans people. "I don't know if I'm a . The Best Picture Race Got a Lot More Confusing This Week, Tom Cruise Made the Rounds This Week, but Other Oscar Nominees Got More Applause Than Top Gun: Maverick, These Oscar Categories Are the Hardest to Predict, Translating the Unconscious Into Images: The Cinematography of Bardo, Poker Face Takes Viewers on a Cross-Country Road Trip Without Leaving New York, Why TR Looks Different from Every Other Movie of 2022, The 50 Best Movies of 2022, According to 165 Critics from Around the World, All 81 Titles Unceremoniously Removed from HBO Max (So Far), 10 Shows Canceled but Not Forgotten in 2022. Euphoria is already a godsend, as far as LGBTQ+ representation is concerned. 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 . 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.. 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. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. I also think about when I watched episode 4. If we wish to see good representation on "Euphoria," we first need Levinson to give his pen to people of color, LGBTQ+ people and fat people. 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. "Pose" will undoubtedly leave a hole when it comes to transgender . This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). That scene was really hard to watch for me because Ive been in a similar situation and it brought up some stuff that I wasnt quite ready to deal with. Shes white, skinny, conventionally attractive, and passes well. And one million people are watching. 1. 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. 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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. Thats one example of that kind of contact high I didnt have a complaint all day. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. Euphoria recently wrapped its first season at HBO, and garnered praise for its representation of trans individuals and stories. 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. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. Under the current guidelines of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, hormone replacement therapy is reserved for children 16 and older, while puberty blockers are typically used for those under 16. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. or not the show does a good job of providing her with quality trans representation. Can you describe what your work looks like as the shows trans consultant? Their powers combined made my job really easy in that regard. Before she joined Vox in 2014, she was the first TV editor of . Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. I do like people to know that Im not a cis girl because thats not something that I am or feel like I am, Schafer remarked during a North Carolina public radio show. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Despite her struggle to find loving connections and the harassment shes faced, Jules is shown to remain a big-hearted and kind character. That was the real joy of working on it. Elsa: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips. Euphoria not only features other trans actors like Quintessa Swindell (Trinkets), but also explores gender and sexuality in a way that feels authentic to its audience. It's hard not to fall in love . One of them was Cal Jacobs, Nates father, who didnt know she was a minor. Euphoria also handles the characters sexualities extremely well. Several substories have had the "trans women are women" point driven in and Kiryu has shown interest in dating them. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. However, HBO must not only involve a more diverse cast, but also writers who can bring relevant perspectives to the table. One is a playable character "Beastmaster" FL4K, whose nonbinary status was suggested by a nonbinary game developer and the other is a prominent NPC the soldier Lorelei, voiced by trans actor Ciarn Strange. Required fields are marked *. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. When Jules recognized Nate from a photo of his wife and young sons on his phone, she quickly left after their encounter. 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. Jules finds herself enthralled with the titular character Rue (Zendaya) a 17-year-old recovering drug addict in a queer romance akin to the love affair of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Holidays We would have to explain things to the people much higher up who have a say in how the story gets told. hbo. Register *It's free and easy. In the first season, we see her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy. Euphoria. But more than anything, it focuses on family and what that means when you get to pick . Editorial: The New York Times article on Maitland Jones was incomplete. The only confirmed gay male character comes in the form of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually. Your email address will not be published. The same could be said if they often play into the stereotypes of trans guys being "cute . While television shows Orange Is the New Black (OITNB) and Transparent have made headlines for their inclusion of trans performers and their debatably authentic takes on trans experiences, Euphoria signals a new era in trans representation, one that is defined by a "cool" trans aesthetic that epitomizes multiplatform television's investment in trans as an edgy brand marker. Having queer individuals involved in the story and writing process of shows, not just Euphoria, allows for marginalized groups to have a way to tell their own stories, instead of people who have not gone through their experiences telling it for them. Member. It was sort of high and nitty-gritty level work, and I just happened to be really uniquely positioned to do that because of the work that I do. Shes introduced as Jules, not as the trans girl, but just a new girl who happens to be transgender. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. 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 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. The series stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue and Jules, respectively: lonely teens-cum-star-crossed-lovers whose attraction to each other feels like a constant game of catch-up. I get my entire life off of that show on Sundays.. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from. Oops. The second-best part of "Euphoria" is Schafer as Julesa young trans woman playing a young trans woman. LGBTQ+ representation in Euphoria. Yes. However, subtle details in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory. It seems as though Levinson writes for shock and drama without ever caring to resolve the many traumas he pushes his marginalized characters through. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. That makes "Euphoria" the first onscreen depiction of a trans-amorous male gaze. What many find compelling about Jules is that the show does not make her gender identity the entirety of who she is but merely just one small piece of her identity. Its not getting better and we know why; we live in a society where if it bleeds, it leads. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Euphoria has stepped into problematic territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules, Nate and Cal. In addition to the dynamics of their friendship and how addiction affects intimacy, Jules is also trying to navigate dating apps, bullying, and identity. Then, I came on set and I worked with everybody in the crew. Yes. The May Test is intended to be stringent in the hopes that it inspires and produces more original, authentic, and positive representations of transgender people. It centers around the gay and trans community, ball culture, the AIDS crisis, the strong juxtapositions between the uptown Trump-era and the downtown social scene. Euphoria is still considered one of the most diverse series on television at the moment, even though there's still a disparity in the people of color casted which just goes to show that there is still work needed to be done in the entertainment industry so that it can be representative of the world that we experience. 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. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. 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). A daring look at the inner lives of teenagers. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. I dont trans-wash things. Its every cisgender person dealing with the Trans Person Being Trans, and the trans persons only narrative is transition, which would only ever be showing television shows about teenagers. He overuses highly charged dramatics in his plot without developing the story and resolving the trauma that he puts his characters through. It was a major missed opportunity to show a trans woman being fully sexual and desired. Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. Reject Sabatini. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. Sam did something that I think is really important for artists to think about in telling the very truthful details of his own personal story. I love that they have a trans series regular that is fully formed and shes right there with [Rue]. Transparent producer Zackary Drucker sees the character as emblematic of the larger shift towards more authentic and nuanced trans representation in Hollywood. Lysettes character in Transparent, Shea, is the closest parallel to a sexually desirable trans character like Jules. It is not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Pose is a fictional TV series set in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That was very much Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, Yes, please say this! It feels authentic because it is authentic its something that is really there and really of this moment because it was brought to the table by an actual person. Erm. Why is he using his negative views of people like us for this show? 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. 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. 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. 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. Close. Polygon spoke with Schofield about his consulting work on the series and the contact high of working on Euphoria. Also, the show could better about sexual representation. 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. The series follows Rue, Jules, and a handful of other teens as they struggle with addiction, sexuality, abuse, and identity. Courtesy of HBO. Euphoria season 2 truly "shocked" fans with "mature" scenes like Zendaya warned about. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. So we had to explain that it would be much more authentic to the world that were representing to not do that. Oct 22, 2020 . 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. But its not precisely the new hue thats captivating viewers. They clap at the end of every take. "I do like people to know that I'm not a . January 9, 2022 8:00am. 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. Just a reminder before tonights premiere, that Euphoria is for mature audiences, wrote Zendaya. I really appreciate how they treat their female characters in particular. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! It really brings people up to their stuff because its not a narrative that theyve seen before. Levinson is not the guy and Euphoria is not the show to give us the representations of our communities that we want. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media), Srishti Bungle , Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022. If you haven't heard about Orange is the New Black 's stunning portrayal of a black trans woman in prison, portrayed by the brilliant . Euphoria's representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. "Jules is absolutely one of my . Curious, adventurous, and carefree, Jules soon catches the eye of Rue Bennett as they start their junior year. Especially, as he was completely absent in the new season. Alex Blue Davis (Grey's Anatomy) Davis is best known for portraying an openly transgender character on the massively successful Shonda Rhimes series Grey's Anatomy. Courtesy of Eddy Chen/HBO. Something went wrong. The young persons guide to conquering (and saving) the world. (Jill Soloway, Ryan Murphy, and Steven Canals, respectively.) Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Eddy Chen/HBO. When we see Jules in the series, she is a trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity. Because again, it has nothing to do with their genders. We wanted to make sure that everybody knew the writers and were showing and doing what they would and would not want to do. All Rights Reserved. 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. To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. In fact, its not much to ask at all. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna.
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