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. Euphoria has been renewed for a third season, with Schafer set to reprise her breakout role. When do we find out Jules is trans? And the thing is, like the self-harming isnt about Jules being trans, except that of course it is. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". New viewers wondered early on Is Jules trans in. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. The second-best part of "Euphoria" is Schafer as Julesa young trans woman playing a young trans woman. 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. His character enduring something so traumatizing, even just to watch, just to be sidelined. 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. Despite the popularity of Euphoria, the HBO show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I get my entire life off of that show on Sundays.. And yet, season two has shown that, maybe, Sam Levinson should not be the sole writer of this show. Trans women, especially trans women of color, face unprecedented levels of violence, often from sexual partners. B. The trans character in The Crying Game is problematic in the extreme, and is played by a cis man, to boot. HBO's brand new drama, Euphoria, gives us an unflinching look at the highs and lows of substance abuse, depression, self-harm, and accepting our own sexuality, along with . Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. Since Hunter Schafer stepped into the spotlight playing Jules in the HBO hit Euphoria, her star power has skyrocketed. Euphoria's representation of its queer characters is becoming increasingly murky in season 2. This thread is about good trans representation. Though the show is not exceptionally diverse, its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from other marginalized communities already suffer from Levinsons inadequate writing. Reject Sabatini. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. Emily St. James is a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. The first time looking in the mirror to admire your new appearance and truly see yourself is a moment of supreme happiness to many trans people. If you want to objectify me, objectify me. 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 . Just a reminder before tonights premiere, that Euphoria is for mature audiences, wrote Zendaya. 1 day ago. Jules transition journey isnt seen in the series, but her personal development and relationships are a fascinating part of the show. Thats why its good. Posted by. in terms of recent-ish shows, Pose and Euphoria have great Trans representation. 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. As Euphorias second season comes to a close, it only seems fitting to comment on the new season. 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. Editorial: NYU lifted its mask mandate, but now isnt the time to be idle. When do we find out Jules is trans? Still, the majority of the cast is white, and some of the shows non-white fans want a more racially diverse main cast. 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. Most of all, they want their stories, especially the sensitive ones, to be told with respect. 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. The objective of this article is to explore this second perspective by analyzing the representation of Jules, a trans female character from the American series Euphoria (Levinson et al., 2019 . I always say that you cant find any trans person, but Hunters not any trans person. But we cannot limit representation to those in front of the camera. Close. That the major honor that I give to the show. 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 . Schafer has also spoken up about the difficulty of coming out in high school as a trans teen. Polygon: You wore a few hats during the production of 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.. 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. Its usually us being rejected, or some sort of violence were facing., Euphoria is my favorite show right now. I dont trans-wash things. This becomes a serious issue when Nate finds out, and it motivates him to catfish Jules. 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. 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. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. 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. Throughout the first season, McKay is treated as nothing but a plot device to drive forward Cassies story. 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. It is this freedom to display self in a myriad of ways that is so revolutionary. Courtesy of HBO. Required fields are marked *. The Yakuza series has multiple trans characters, mainly women. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. (Photo by Eddy Chen/HBO, courtesy of Warner Media), Srishti Bungle , Deputy Opinion EditorFeb 1, 2022. 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. Please log in to add your commentNeed an account? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Im just doing my own thing. Better. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. Register *It's free and easy. It is reasonable to want positive representation in hit shows. Contact Srishti Bungle at[emailprotected]. Emanating a manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame in which she appears. Doncha love how theyre just abandoning the TWAW thing? "Pose" will undoubtedly leave a hole when it comes to transgender . Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) Netflix. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. 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. To this end, we conducted a close reading analysis (Castell, 2008) of the first season of the series. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I dont come and just put my brand on top of something and say its OK. 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. They are not mentioned once. Schofield was integral to the creation of the character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation . Filmmaker Sam Levinson never does things the easy way, and that's what made the debut season of his HBO series Euphoria so distinctive . 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. CN: I have some small clips of some transphobic content in the first half.Patreon: http://patreon.com/verityritchiehttps:. Were so much more complex than just one identity., Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of. The second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance to binge watch until the new season premieres! Photos Courtesy of HBO TV Features Euphoria. Hide Gif. Rue finds out that Jules is trans in the third episode of Euphoria. Photograph: Alexis Desaulniers-Lea. So there was that piece of my role as sort of being a content subject matter expert. 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. People find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives, especially regarding main characters being openly queer, something that not a lot of TV shows have. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. mental health. It's hard not to fall in love . Had an exchange on twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be a woman, in that sense. Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are. Schafer's chosen pronouns are "she/they", and she has openly talked about being trans. Why is he using his negative views of people like us for this show? 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. Played by newcomer Hunter Schafer in what will surely become a career-launching performance, everyone on the show the daddy, the walking embodiment of toxic masculinity, the tomboy protagonist, her confident femme rival wants Jules. (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.). Shes white, skinny, conventionally attractive, and passes well. 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. I had to work really carefully with their costumes and the head of wardrobe; we wanted to make sure that Quintessa felt really seen as non-binary person. And chances are, most viewers havent either. Shes in a mental institution for self harm. A sensory overload. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. Its a symptom of what you do to us because were trans. Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. However, subtle details in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory. Published Jan 26, 2022. "I do like people to know that I'm not a . His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. Hunter Schafer, who plays trans teen Jules Vaughn on the hit HBO series Euphoria, is setting the record straight about her sexual identity. The only confirmed gay male character comes in the form of a violent, predatory middle-aged man, who hoards videos filmed nonconsensually. In an uncharacteristically safe move for Soloway, Josh balks at following through with a sexual relationship after finding out Shea is HIV-positive. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. So we had to explain that it would be much more authentic to the world that were representing to not do that. Oct 21, 2020. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. Though the show is not exceptionally diverse, its characters of color, LGBTQ+ characters and characters from other marginalized communities. 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