Editorial: "Work It" Will Not Hurt the Trans Community

[Carolyn Marie]

I'll let you all draw your own conclusions.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/opinion-work-it-is-not-anti-transgender-it-is-just-a-silly-cross-dressing-sitcom/

Carolyn Marie

[Guest John Chiv]

You know Carolyn after reading this editorial, I have to say that the BOD I gave the show in the previous comments is no longer there. The comments I stopped reading after a few.

John

[Guest Robin Winter]

Eh....after seeing the trailer...I have a hard time believing this thing will take off anyway....but yeah, I'm not really impressed. I don't know what to think.

[Guest Kelly-087]

That's terrible.. I really am curious how such terrible shows get on TV.

I really hope this doesn't air. It may just feature cross dressers, but it won't help us.. Only hurt.

[Cyndee]

I am not much for TV and don't watch much at all, however I was in our front room last night with my family, and the trailer for this show appeared on the screen, OMG. I just saw this post from Carolyn this morning.

These "dudes" don't help us at all, this show degrades women in my mind, and certainly will NOT help trans women. If this show is anything like they plug it to be, please stop this ABC (they don't hear me, but I'll say it anyway).

Just one more reason for me to stay away from this mass media garbage, it's terrible.

<end rant>

C -

[Guest ChloëC]

Just saw this thread and the link. There are several rather severe problems with all of this. First, the writer of the article is, to me anyway, confusing TG and TS. As in that this new show is about cross-dressers (wrong here, too, see below), and since transgender people are not the same, it won't hurt them. Well, they are the same. Unless there are some in the tg field who believe that certain groups should be excluded for personal reasons. TG does not = TS. And the implication I got was that the writer was referring to TS when using the term TG.

Next, after seeing the promo, it's obvious that the leads are in drag and are not cross dressers. They have absolutely no intention of passing themselves off as women, but instead are making (supposedly) humorous jabs at femininity - or at least a hetero male's version of femininity.

The comments as John above has suggested show that there is still lots of education needed. And writers confusing TS and TG and not understanding the difference between cross-dressing and drag isn't helping at all. Drag in English theater and early television is a staple but was obviously carried out by males who had beards showing, making fun of women stereo-types, I understand that. But here in the U.S., on TV anyway, the attitude seems to be that there is no difference how any of this is portrayed, it's all the same. 'Tootsie' for example was an attempt at cross-dressing (see the lengths Dustin Hoffman went to prepare each day, including massive work on beard removal). Imagine a show based on if someone wanting to get a federally funded minority job, appeared in black-face like the old minstral shows. Imagine how that would be received. Or not.

Finally, the humor is typical bathroom humor, with hardly an ounce of any kind of intelligence.

Anyway, the show won't last.

Hugz

Chloë

PS (added later) I know I'm 'just' a cross dresser, but Laura's does include us, too, last I saw.

[Guest Karen K]

Of course cross dressers are included here. Please correct me if I am wrong but ins't the goal of cders to express their feminine side to as great a degree as possible? It isn't just wearing the clothing, is it? Which is the premise of this show. You are right, it probably wont last, but it is possible that if someone who would watch this low-brow humor to make a connection between the show and a true Transwoman. And that is what we fear.

Laura Jane

[Guest ChloëC]

"goal of cders to express their feminine side to as great a degree as possible? It isn't just wearing the clothing, is it? Which is the premise of this show."

Yes, that's certainly a goal (maybe not the only one), and it isn't just the wearing of the clothes. I'm going to want to see these characters shopping in a market, doing laundry, dishes, etc. dressed in various outfits, to believe they are cd. And that's the issue. They are mimicing some aspects of male comprehension of what being a woman is about, without getting deeply into it. That's not cd, that's drag.

And I haven't even considered the 'premise' of the show which seems to be the main characters, in order to get some kind of a job, sign on as drug reps. (think Donna Rice and Gary Hart and the boat 'Monkey Business'). Except my spouse is a retired drug rep and it's not...quite what tv writers seem to think. It's a lot of sitting and waiting in reception rooms, checking the supply cabinet, getting to really know the receptionists and doctor's assistants (nurses, PA's, etc) and maybe getting the doc's attention for a moment or two to explain some new drug or offer rebuttal to media overhype on current drugs. If there is supposed to be some kind of a 'sexual attraction' aspect, these two on this show would fail miserably.

Hugz

Chloë