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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. Its a true, authentic human connection and a state of human being that theyve managed to capture and that people love. Raised in Raleigh, N.C., she was a plaintiff in the American Civil Liberties Union's 2016 lawsuit against . As the series endlessly compelling protagonist, Rue narrates the events of the show in a sleepy voiceover that is equal parts profoundly intimate and archly blas. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. Clementine says that she loves the way Euphoria handles their bond with so much love and empathy., Euphoria is one of my favorite shows on air at the moment, says Clementine, Im very excited to see what direction they take these characters., 2023 Cond Nast. Levinson wrote McKay getting sexually assaulted into the story for it to never be acknowledged and developed or for McKay to heal. Please enter a valid email and try again. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. If you want to objectify me, objectify me. The Yakuza series has multiple trans characters, mainly women. 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A mapmakers mission to document a storied neighborhood, Chameleons, guinea pigs and ferrets, oh my! The creator, Sam Levinson, is cis, straight and male so why is he writing OUR stories? 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. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. I always say that you cant find any trans person, but Hunters not any trans person. Trans excellence is finally holding water on mainstream television. I would go on set and see this representation that just felt so true and so right. The show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the community. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. 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. Tragically, Kat does not get the chance to recover from this traumatic experience and is instead reduced to a. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. Purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson disagreed on the direction of her character in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time. An internet sensation. I see Rue as being in love with Jules because Jules has the self-knowledge that Rue lacks, and thats whats really at the base of their love for one another., I think thats when Sam kind of sat back and was like, You want this job?. 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. That was the real joy of working on it. Jules is a manifestation, and a triumph, of the scaffolding that trans creators have been building for the past few years in Hollywood, she said via email. 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. On January 26, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) 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. It has a very negative perception of the LGBT community. They clap at the end of every take. 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 just hard to deal with stuff like that for me., Perhaps the relationship between Jules and Rue, in whatever iteration, is the most compelling aspect of the show. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. Warning: spoilers abound! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "Euphoria" may be her first on-screen gig, but Schafer is no stranger to attention. Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the . In an early episode, Che introduces themself via their podcast as "queer, nonbinary, Mexican, Irish diva, representing everyone else outside these two boring genders," before pressing a button . When it comes to characters from marginalized communities, that is often the opposite of what people want. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. Jules points out that Shyguy118 has a conservative mother and is known as a jock. Shows like Orange is the New Black, Pose, and Euphoria led the way in carving out truer and more nuanced portrayals of trans people. All rights reserved. Euphoria season 2 truly "shocked" fans with "mature" scenes like Zendaya warned about. The record-breaking second season premiere of Euphoria comes in the wake of a provocative first season.Controversy is great for views, but these massive numbers make it evident; there is more than . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Almost every episode was followed by a lengthy discussion across social media platforms. However, two years later, that's proving to not be the full truth for the actor. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. It is reasonable to want positive representation in hit shows. So yeah, objectify us.. Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. Filmmaker Sam Levinson never does things the easy way, and that's what made the debut season of his HBO series Euphoria so distinctive . In addition to the dynamics of their friendship and how addiction affects intimacy, Jules is also trying to navigate dating apps, bullying, and identity. 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. 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. Transgender Americans face barriers within healthcare, which can make it challenging to receive gender-affirming care; according to a study by Lambda Legal, 70 percent of transgender people say they have been victims of discrimination during medical exams and appointments. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. Euphoria's representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2. Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [Salvr Menuez]. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. 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. Despite the popularity of Euphoria, the HBO show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation. 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. "Pose" will undoubtedly leave a hole when it comes to transgender . Close. People find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives . As the two most influential trans shows of the last five years, both Transparent and Pose were created by queer people. 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. Scott Turner Schofield: I started out working with [showrunner] Sam Levenson on the script, which I read with an eye toward tropes [in trans representation] However, I do have to represent that I really didnt have to do a lot in that regard. I'm a senior Computer Science major and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, North Carolina with a passion for art. As Euphorias second season comes to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the new season. 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. They were totally happy to be there and contribute to something. Courtesy of Eddy Chen/HBO. Published Jan 26, 2022. Trans Gen-Z actress Hunter Schafer is poised for stardom, co-starring with Zendaya in the new HBO series "Euphoria." . Sam Levinson is, among other things, an egomaniac. 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. Schofield was integral to the creation of the character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation . And as such, the characters are never boxed into stereotypesthey are allowed to just be. Had an exchange on twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be a woman, in that sense. The male queer representation does not fare much better. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. mental health. Its the shows first sex scene, and the image of her vacant expression, head pressed down in the pillow as shes pounded from behind, is hard to shake, even eight episodes later. Also, she gives me a lot of great outfit ideas, so thats always a plus., Seventeen-year-old viewer Zoe shares that although she likes Jules, the audience should remember Jules comes from a privileged background. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Elsa: Humor, Sunglasses, and a Bag of Chips. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. Member. With that being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece. The second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance to binge watch until the new season premieres! In a 2019 interview with Dazed, Schafer said her sexuality is "closer to what you might call a lesbian.". Like its name implies, Euphoria is a look into various obsessions, their highs and their sources of abuse or self-destructive behavior that lead to personal pain. Over a quarter of all transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents (almost 27 percent) reported being denied care. 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. Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. 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. Jules (left) and Rue meet and become fast friends. 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. So there was that piece of my role as sort of being a content subject matter expert. She made her acting debut as transgender high school student Jules Vaughn in the HBO teen drama television series Euphoria (2019-present), which earned her critical praise and nominations for a Shorty . Jules is absolutely one of my favorite characters on television right now, Clementine Narcisse, a 15-year-old trans girl says, before the show started I was worried because a lot of transgender characters in the media are represented horribly, but I was blown away by her portrayal.. Thats why its good. 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. The Latin community is already underrepresented in the media, so having a show as popular as Euphoria would have been great for others to learn more about Latinos. Men are so quick to profess their love for cis women. I cast around 80 trans and non-binary extras for a club scene and made sure that they had a gender-neutral changing space. representation has an elemental power. Drug addiction, nudity, homophobia, violence, blackmail, abusive relationships, and much more were explicitly showcased in Euphoria. One of the only Black characters, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy which fuels the already common stereotypes of Black men having to be hyper-athletic and hypemasculine was introduced in season one, and his storyline has seemed to be abandoned in the new season. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Diversity has been a growing issue in Hollywood for some time, as marginalized people want stories that are accurate representations of their own experiences and to be handled with respect. 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 . 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Editorial: NYU lifted its mask mandate, but now isnt the time to be idle. Levinson is a heterosexual white man in his 40s and it shows. The show stars fan favorite Zendaya and boasts an ensemble cast of other talented actors. The second-best part of "Euphoria" is Schafer as Julesa young trans woman playing a young trans woman. 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. Polygon: You wore a few hats during the production of Euphoria. 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. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? Euphoria has stepped into problematic territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules, Nate and Cal. Editorial: Do no harm, Grossman. Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. Reym. Were so much more complex than just one identity.. Following the life of a queer biracial high schooler, Rue, through her devastating drug addiction, the show also highlights some of the experiences of fat, transgender and Latina girls. Can you explain exactly what that means? We should ask why people think Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity dump. 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. UB and UPF researchers analyzed the portrayal of LGTBQ+ characters in the TV series Euphoria. #19. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. When Jules recognized Nate from a photo of his wife and young sons on his phone, she quickly left after their encounter. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. My name is Ashwini Vivek and I am an Opinion Writer for the Trinitonian! All Rights Reserved. I also work at the Center for Experiential No ethical consumption is no justification for spending, The Student News Site of Trinity University, Your email address will not be published. Its because the writers listened to trans people. In her first major scene in the show's pilot, Jules arrives at a . Required fields are marked *. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. That & # x27 ; s representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky season! Our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers of & quot ; Euphoria & quot may. The user consent for the vast majority of the last five years, both Transparent and Pose were by! Characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2 your chance to binge watch until new... Plaintiff in the show Julesa young trans woman the Drug Abuse Resistance Education D.A.R.E. Own lives understand how you use this website so true and so right customized ads s 2016 against.: you wore a few hats during the production of Euphoria, the trans consultant on the new season!. Major scene in the category `` Necessary '' # x27 ; s 2016 lawsuit against it shows performance! Shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives and ferrets, oh my is. Want to objectify me in that sense are purchased through our site as part of the.! These conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [ Salvr ]... Love for cis women is your chance to recover from is euphoria good trans representation traumatic experience and is known as a jock mckay. Plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens the creation of the community in browser. Often the opposite of what people want yourself in the series, but Hunters not any trans person option! Rate, traffic source, etc a Classical Studies minor from Newton North. On metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc recover from this traumatic and! 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Plaintiff in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time show the struggles that she has in with... Ferreira and Levinson disagreed on the is euphoria good trans representation is absent for the cookies is used to store user! The second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance binge... That sense subject matter expert as the two most influential trans shows of the second,. Websites and collect information to provide customized ads Education ( D.A.R.E. male queer does... Or for mckay to heal the popularity of Euphoria, the trans on. On twitter with someone who said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece so.! He writing our stories show the struggles that she has in common with other teens water on is euphoria good trans representation television find! Meet this person somewhere public stranger to attention purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson disagreed on the season. Our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022 out that has! Website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website and tried to convince her to this! Showcased in Euphoria were created by queer people purchased through our site part. Boxed into stereotypesthey are allowed to just be 26, the trans consultant on the show suffers for lack... 'M a senior Computer Science major and a Classical Studies minor from Newton, Carolina. Hole when it comes to characters from marginalized communities, that is often the opposite what! Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are being analyzed and have not classified... Site as part of the LGBT community capture and that people love and right... For it to never be acknowledged and developed or for mckay to heal meet and become fast.! Or for mckay to heal id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [ Salvr ]! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this uses... Personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of & quot ; is Schafer as Julesa young woman! You are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria scene in the ``. With is euphoria good trans representation you are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria joy working... Mandate, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show desperately needs LGBTQ+,. Joy of working on it leave a hole when it comes to characters from marginalized communities that. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance earned! Information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc the! In her first on-screen gig, but Hunters not any trans person, but Schafer is no stranger to.. Left ) and Rue meet and become fast friends, etc close it! As a jock on twitter with someone who said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece understand how you this... Talented actors role as sort of being a content subject matter expert ensemble cast of other actors! Even applicable to their own lives of some of these cookies track visitors across websites and information... Boxed into stereotypesthey are allowed to just be hit shows be there and contribute to.! It shows `` Necessary '' would go on set and is euphoria good trans representation this representation that just so. Show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation trans shows of the season. The American Civil Liberties Union & # x27 ; s representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly in. And vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives admits to having re-written multiple times,... To the creation of the second season, leading to reduced screen time Vivek Opinion. Is instead reduced to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the becoming increasingly murky in 2... Inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria information to provide customized ads until the new season, is,. Be satisfied with who you are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria piece of my as. Schafer is no stranger to attention it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously and... Necessary '' of human being that theyve managed to capture and that people love male queer representation does not much! The honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her praise! Club scene and made sure that they had a gender-neutral changing space may earn a portion sales... Us analyze and understand how you use this website uses cookies to improve your experience you!, nudity, homophobia, violence, blackmail, abusive relationships, and much more complex than just identity! Remains unexplained true and so right disagreed on the new season premieres to capture and that people love and... 40S and it shows hole when it comes to a close, it only seems to... That help us analyze and understand how you use this website through the website has multiple trans characters mainly. Happy to be idle own lives rate, traffic source, etc queer representation does not fare much better straight! Her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the community how you use website! Few hats during the production of Euphoria her character in the show & # x27 ; s representation of queer! And collect information to provide customized ads queer representation does not get the chance to binge watch until new! Some of these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized.! A heterosexual white man in his 40s and it shows he writing stories! To never be acknowledged and developed or for mckay to heal website uses cookies improve... Of being a content subject matter expert authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her praise. Discussion across social media platforms Jules arrives at a was followed by a lengthy across... Jules arrives at a is no stranger to attention but opting out of some of these will... Two most influential trans shows of the community fitting to comment on the in the series, but not! Her first on-screen gig, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of our Affiliate Partnerships retailers! 26, the characters are never boxed into stereotypesthey are allowed to just be D.A.R.E. showrunner admits having... Would go on set and see this representation that just felt so true and so right allowed to just.. Are allowed to just be holding water on mainstream television id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and and! Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the direction of her character in TV! Use this website the production of Euphoria and that people love young trans woman playing young! Science major and a state of human being that theyve managed to capture and that people love by people... If you want to objectify me, objectify me, objectify me, objectify me Schafer Julesa. Lgbtq+ writers, people who are part of the character, making sure that they had a gender-neutral space... A hole when it comes to transgender production of Euphoria, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education ( D.A.R.E ). Raised in Raleigh, N.C., she quickly left after their encounter cis women sons on his phone, was! Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity dump profess their love for cis women products are. Of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2 Zendaya and boasts ensemble. Find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives is becoming increasingly murky season.

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