The transgender community has seen more representation in television this past year than ever before.
Stories that exemplify the transgender experience are being recognized at this year’s Golden Globes with mulitple nominations. Transparent, which stars Jeffrey Tambor as a father who comes out to his family as transgender, cleaned up at the Emmys in September with five wins and 11 nominations. The Amazon original series has three Golden Globe nominations
Transparent is up for best television series in the musical/comedy category, best performance by an actor, and best performance by a supporting actress in a television series, musical, or comedy. The show is competing against the Netflix hit series Orange is the New Black, which stars transgender actress Laverne Cox.
The Danish Girl depicts the transgender experience on the big screen with Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Lili Elbe, the first person to undergo sex-reassignment surgery and live openly as a transgender woman. The movie has been nominated for best performance by an actor, best performance by an actress, and best original score.
Nick Adams, director of programs for transgender media at GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), discussed the transformation of transgender representation in television with the Daily News. “For over 60 years, Hollywood has largely portrayed trans people as either psychotic killers or the butt of jokes,” he said. “Only recently have films and television portrayals begun to move beyond these offensive defamatory stereotypes.”
