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Shes in a mental institution for self harm. Luckily, representation of trans characters has improved with time. Read on to get the full details on this fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed. 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. 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. July 22, 2019. . And one million people are watching. Close. 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. With words, that was not said in any way. 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. While there is a demand for a more racially diverse cast, it means that there needs to be a racially diverse writers room. A . Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are. Levinson does not give the character fair time to process, grieve or truly react. I went to the premiere and it initially kind of shocked me. All rights reserved. As Euphorias second season comes to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the new season. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. Euphoria Resolved Season 1's Biggests Cliffhanger In The Most Underwhelming Fashion. Of course, Jules character is complex, and there is no reason that she cannot grow and learn more about herself, but that does not change the fact that there is a noticeable difference in characterization between an episode written by Hunter Schafer, a queer trans woman, and the episodes written by Sam Levinson, a straight cisgender man. Though the show is not exceptionally diverse, its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from other marginalized communities. 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Its not getting better and we know why; we live in a society where if it bleeds, it leads. trans, and is it ever clearly stated in the series? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Euphoria. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Euphoria and Pose offer two very different trans . Euphoria is one of the most popular shows around right now and the character of Jules has become a cultural icon for trans teenagers and transgender youth. 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. 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. Ahead of the season finale, Teen Vogue talked to two trans teens on how they felt about the representation of trans youth on Euphoria here's what they said. 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. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. Lysettes character in Transparent, Shea, is the closest parallel to a sexually desirable trans character like Jules. Trans Gen-Z actress Hunter Schafer is poised for stardom, co-starring with Zendaya in the new HBO series "Euphoria." . Were so much more complex than just one identity.. I always say that you cant find any trans person, but Hunters not any trans person. 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 . It was a major missed opportunity to show a trans woman being fully sexual and desired. Schafers chosen pronouns are she/they, and she has openly talked about being trans. To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. We would have to explain things to the people much higher up who have a say in how the story gets told. Erm. They clap at the end of every take. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. Asking this of Levinson is likely to be unfruitful. Also, the show could better about sexual representation. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. While this may not be a surprise to Rue, it was a huge reveal for viewers because her gender identity is definitively stated in the dialogue. Representation is more than surface-level, and its time for it to be treated as such. Lets hope Euphoria moves forward to highlight how the new generations anticipate and welcome trans individuals into society. Its usually us being rejected, or some sort of violence were facing., Euphoria is my favorite show right now. The young persons guide to conquering (and saving) the world. Analyzing LGBTQIA representation in 'Euphoria', researchers find the series presents trans characters 'very differently from traditional manner' In the series, there is a narrative that goes beyond the "trans phenomenon", it is not limited to solely presenting her "coming out" or her "transition", but also explores other . Shes a very articulate trans woman and she already understands these things. 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. Still, its a delicate line to walk, especially when the character is supposed to be underage (though Schafer is 20). 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. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. 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. 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. 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. Ive never met anyone in my entire life like Jules, says Rue, the tomboy drug addict played by Zendaya on Euphoria, HBOs provocative teen-drama-for-adults and the networks newest hit of the summer. Raised in Raleigh, N.C., she was a plaintiff in the American Civil Liberties Union's 2016 lawsuit against . 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 . 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. In season one, we get a relationship between two female main characters, Rue and Jules. 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. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. LGBTQ+ representation in Euphoria. Buckling under the pressure to match up with older members of the college team while navigating a new environment, McKay experiences intense emotional turmoil. Your email address will not be published. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? 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. 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. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. 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. In negative cliches of what trans people are in Raleigh, N.C. she. 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