Well Duh, GLAAD Review Finds Decade Of Trans Media Images Are Negative

I've been complaining on these electronic pages for years about the lack of positive media images when it comes to transpeople.  If you break it down still further and add race to it, those positive media images become even harder to find.

GLAAD recently conducted a review of the 102 episodes of trans inclusive non recurring characters in non scripted television show aired since 2002.

Not surprisingly to me GLAAD found that 54% of those shows were categorized as containing negative representations at the time of their airing. An additional 35% were categorized at ranging from "problematic" to "good," while only 12% were considered groundbreaking, fair and accurate enough to earn a GLAAD Media Award nomination.

GLAAD additionally discovered in their review:

• Transgender characters were cast in a "victim" role at least 40% of the time.
• Transgender characters were cast as killers or villains in at least 21% of the catalogued episodes and storylines.
• The most common profession transgender characters were depicted as having was that of sex workers, which a fifth of all characters were depicted as (20%).
• Anti-transgender slurs, language and dialogue was present in at least 61% of the catalogued episodes and storylines.

I'd be willing to bet if you broke the GLAAD decade long trans character show review down by race those numbers would be worse.

So what can we do to improve those numbers?   First order of business would be to make writers and producers of those shows aware of what they are putting out there that we believe is deleterious to our community.   

As we did as a community and with the help of allies when the dearly departed Work It desecrated the airwaves for its thankfully short run, we put pressure on the networks to get rid of the shows that don't meet that standard and make them aware of the ones that positively reflect on our community by supporting them.   

The ultimate solution would be to actually have trans people of all ethnicities writing said characters on those shows, trans actors to play those characters, and trans people producing and directing them.

It's November Sweeps Month-Here Comes The Trans Themed Programming

The Nielsen Company conducts the national samples that determine the fate of television and cable programs, who gets the advertising dollars, and the jobs of television executives and the actors and producers of that programming through their Nielsen Ratings that are composed of a cross-section of representative homes in the top 56 TV markets throughout the United States.

Nielsen uses two types of meters to capture how TV is used: set meters capture set-tuning only and report what channel is being tuned, while People Meters go a step further and gather information about who is watching in addition to what channel is being tuned.

Paper diaries are used in the remaining television markets to collect viewing information from Nielsen’s sample homes during what are called 'sweeps' rating periods.   Every year Nielsen processes approximately 2 million paper diaries from households across the country for the months of November, February, May and July.  During those sweeps periods seven-day diaries (or eight-day diaries in homes with DVRs) are mailed to homes to keep a tally of what is watched on each television set and by whom.

Over the course of a sweeps period, diaries are mailed to a new panel of homes each week and at the end of the month, all of the viewing data from the individual weeks is aggregated as the television and cable execs, actors, writers and producers of those shows nervously await the results.

If you've noticed, during sweeps month the networks and cable provides also roll out programming designed to get as many viewers tuning into their programming as possible.  
That means the most provocative and drama filled episodes of scripted shows get rolled out and documentary news shows like ABC's 20/20 or What Would You Do try to tackle controversial or other topics designed to get maximum viewereship and attention during that sweeps period.

Over the last few years, that means trans themed programming and with the November sweeps period getting started October 25 and running through November 21, we're about to see another mixed bag of good, bad and ugly trans related programming all in the name of boosting those TV and cable rating at our community's expense.

Whether it's tonight's ABC 20/20 special with Barbara Walters in which she revisits the trans kids she interviewed a few years ago in the 'My Secret Self' show to Iyanla Vanzandt's Fix My Life show on OWN that was aired October 27 involving a young trans man and his minister father who is resisting the transition, the undeniable fact is that people are fascinated by and hungry for information about trans people.


 

Unfortunately it's also a lesson the talk shows learned back in the late 80's -90's.  I have video scattered throughout my TransGriot archives of various talk shows from the late 80's to early 90's that respectfully discussed the topic of transsexuality.   Believe it or not even Jerry Springer did so until he decided to go tabloid in 1994 and ride outrageousness to ratings success.  



Maury Povich then joined in with his 'Man or Woman' shows that conveniently were broadcast during sweeps month to compete with the 'trans gone wild' stuff that Jerry was putting out there to the world.


Far too often the transpeople featured in the Springer and Povich transploitation shows were predominately transwomen and transmen of color who got a free trip to New York or Chicago and $500 to get their faces on national TV. 

However, they didn't consider as one of my homegirls unfortunately found out to her horror that it might have deleterious effects on their lives long after the camera stopped rolling and they spent that $500 check they received.

They also didn't consider that in their youthful rush to get their 15 minutes of fame, they made themselves and the whole trans community look stereotypically bad on national television.

So word to my trans younglings, especially trans younglings of color.  Just say no to transploitation.

But the messages I'm most desirous to get out there is that we transpeople are part of the diverse mosaic of human life, we deserve human rights coverage, to love and be loved for ourselves and the opportunity to live our lives to the best of our abilities.

Now that another sweeps period is upon us, let's hope that the messages from the shows that feature our images are the ones we want to send out to the world and are positive ones.


 

Trans TV Alert: Barbara Walters 20/20 Trans Children Update

Back in 2007 ABC's 20/20 broadcast a Barbara Walters moderated show that focused on the lives of trans children entitled 'My Secret Self- A Story of Transgender Children".

This Friday Barbara will visit the trans kids and their families that were interview for that 2007 show and find out what is transpiring in their lives five years later.   One of those adorable trans kids was Jazz, and she'll be part of this broadcast. 

It's slated to be televised November 2 from 10-11 PM EDT on your local ABC station. It is sweeps month, so count on the trans themed programming to flood the airwaves for a few weeks.  

If you can't watch the broadcast, set those DVR's to do so and as soon as I have video of it I'll post it to the blog..

Mr. Rogers Defends PBS

In 1969, when President Richard Nixon (R) wanted to cut funding to PBS (sound familiar?)  Fred Rogers of  the long running PBS show Mister Rogers Neighborhood headed to Capitol Hill to defend that funding in a Senate hearing  

LeVar Burton Calls Out Mittbot For PBS Debate Comments

You TransGriot readers may remember LeVar Burton for his roles in Roots or Star Trek-The Next Generation, but his more important one was as the host for the award winning PBS show Reading Rainbow that ran on the network from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006 that encouraged children to read.

Reading Rainbow won a Peabody Award and 26 Emmy Awards, with 10 of those Emmy's being in the 'Outstanding Children's Programming' category.

But after hearing Mittbot attack PBS during Wednesday's presidential debate in Denver, Burton went off.

Burton said in a statement published at TMZ.com, "I am personally outraged that any serious contender for the White House would target as part of his campaign the children of America in this fashion."

"Educators across the country, as well as millions of children and adults know that the programming on PBS has been responsible for significant improvements in education, literacy, math, science and life skills for generations of our children."

He joined astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in calling out Romney and pointing out "PBS represents .00016% of our nation's budget, yet this free resource benefits kids across all economic circumstances."

Burton adds, "Defunding PBS directly punishes the less fortunate by removing this trusted and extraordinary educational resource available to all."

"On behalf of America's children, I can't stay silent. I encourage you to join me in fighting this short-sighted and frankly mean-spirited attack on our children."

The Second Annual TransGriot 'A Different World' Trivia Quiz

Today is the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast of A Different World on this date in 1987.   Some interesting news is developing about this groundbreaking show in terms of the fact that Debbie Allen is interested in rebooting it and putting it back on the air.  

And naw Carsey-Werner, I still haven't forgotten along with the legions of fans of this show that you haven't released Seasons 2-6 of A Different World to DVD.   What's up with that?

While we're waiting for the outcome of that and Debbie Allen's effort to revive the show, I'm going to give you loyal TransGriot readers an opportunity to tackle the second annual edition of my TransGriot 'A Different World' Trivia Quiz.   If you want to try to tackle last year's quiz, here it is.   I'll give y'all three days like last year to ponder it before I publish the answers in a separate blog post.

Have fun and note it's an open book Internet test.

1. Name the artists who sang the theme song for 'A Different World'.


2.What was the name of Whitley and Kim's sorority on the show?


3.What year did Kim pledge under Whitley?


4. What state was Jaleesa from?


5. What was the name of Whitley's therapist who always urged her clients to 'Relax, relate & release? (extra credit point if you can name who played her).


6.How long did Kinu and Dwayne date before their break up?

7.True or False. Colonel Taylor was chairman of the math department at Hillman


8.What were the nicknames Adele Wayne had for her husband and son Dwayne?


9 What was the name of the dream man Dwayne created for his radio shows leading up to Valentine's Day?


10. True or False.  Before Ron O'Neal began playing Whitley's father Judge Mercer Gilbert, he played a dean in season one. 


11.Who was the Gilbert Hall dorm director in Season 1?

12.Dwayne spent the summer working in an internship for Kinishewa Electronics in what Canadian cities?


13.What city was Lena James from?
A Philadelphia B. New York  C. Washington DC  D. Baltimore

14. True or False.  Whitley won the Miss Hillman title.


15.Which one of these is NOT a Hillman college dorm?
A Libbey Hall, B Gilbert Hall, C. Douglass Hall, D. Height Hall

16. What was the name of Ron Johnson's baby sister?


17.True or False.  A Different World was the number one rated show among African-American viewers in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 television seasons.


18. What was the name of Walter's charitable foundation that he founded? 


19.  Which one of these actors or actresses did NOT play a Hillman College professor on the show? 

A Whoopi Goldberg    B. Keenen Ivory Wayans    C. Leslie Uggams   D. Clifton Davis

20  What was the full name of the club that Ron and Mr. Gaines co-owned?


21. What was Terrence's line name when he pledged Kappa Lambda Nu under Ron?

22. What political office was Byron Douglas running for in Virginia? 


23. What historical event coincided with Whitley and Dwayne's honeymoon?


24  In addition to his son Terrence, Colonel Taylor had another child who attended Hillman.  Who was she?.


25  What was Adele Wayne's favorite dessert she loved to cook for Dwayne?
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You may start the quiz.  I'll give y'all until midnight CDT on the 27th to come up with the answers on your own..


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Vietnamese Trans Woman Comes Out On National Telecast.

People tell me they thought it was brave for me to come out in the middle of an international airport terminal back in 1993.   But what I was doing wasn't brave.  It was a necessary step in the evolution towards becoming the phenomenal person I am now.  

It's never easy to out yourself to the world as a transwoman, much less do so in front of a national television audience.  So I have much love, respect and admiration for what 25 year old Vietnamese transwoman Huong Giang did recently as a finalist in the Vietnam Idol competition that was broadcast on September 6.

After being praised by the judges When asked if she'd ever auditioned for Vietnam Idol before she hesitated for a moment before she revealed she'd previously attempted to do so under her old name.

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After some discussion, she did move on in the Vietnam Idol competition.   Best of luck to her and hope she wins it..

Debbie Allen Wants To Reboot 'A Different World'

A Different World broadcast its first episode 25 years ago this month.  I have been griping for more than a few years on these TransGriot electronic pages about Carsey-Werner not releasing Seasons 2-6 of the show on DVD or even considering doing a reunion episode in light of the fact the anniversary of the September 24, 1987 airing of its first episode is rapidly approaching.

I not only compiled a trivia quiz for the show for last year's anniversary, I even wrote a May 7 post entitled 'Imagining A Different World 2K12' , imagined what that show would look like, and ended that post with this comment.

So will we see A Different World 2K12?    Probably only in our dreams.  

Well, somebody must have sent that post to my Houston homegirl Debbie Allen, because there was a series of tweets starting on August 23 on her Twitter page stating she was interested in bringing back a rebooted A Different World back to television

If that's true, pinch me and make sure I'm wide awake.   Big Amen coming from me. 

I love this show like many other people of my generation and would love to see Dwayne, Whitley, Freddie, Ron and the Hillman College gang blended in with some 21st century Hillman students as I demonstrated in the May 7 post I wrote. 

The successful reboot of Dallas shows it can be done.  Seeing how well it did ratings wise and how it mixed the old characters we were familiar with the new generation of Ewings and Barnes', I have no doubt that a remixed for the 2K10's A Different World would be just as successful.

Debbie Allen at the helm of it would ensure A Different World would be 'keeping it real' and it stayed as close to having that HBCU experience we all loved about the original show.

I say that because in the current TV landscape we are chock full of mindless fare and tawdry reality TV shows aimed at African American audiences.

We would love a smart, well written ensemble cast show with topical storylines like A Different World successfully pulled off from 1987-1993.   

So Debbie and 'errbody' else in Hollywood, please make the A Different World reboot happen.  If you do, I'll happily write the 'I was wrong' post as I eagerly await the return of Hillman College to my television screen.   If you're looking for script writers for the new show, where do I put in my application for it?

And oh yeah, here are the answers to last year's A Different World trivia quiz. 

The Ricki Lake Show Is Back!

Back in 1993 Ricki Lake kicked off her popular syndicated television talk show that lasted 11 years before it ended. 

The then 24 year old quickly garnered a loyal young adult audience hungry for a talk show that discussed the issues of the day from their generational perspective. 

She's pondered getting back into the talk show arena ever since her first show ended in 2004 

Today, The Ricki Lake Show returns to television with a Ricki Lake that is two decades older later this month and has gone through marriage, divorce, raising kids and remarriage.  

The new show is different from the 90's version. According to 20th Television, the new show "will present topical conversation reflecting Ricki's own personal journey and recent life experiences. As her fans have grown up with Ricki, a combination of relevant themes personal to the host and her audience including family, marriage, parenting, divorce, weight loss and overall well-being are being explored for the program. 

"I have a specific point of view and a vision and a sense of who I am at this point in my life," she said in a recent interview. "Not that I have it all figured out, but growth comes with age and life experience."

The show has been taping episodes since July 25 and is already getting positive buzz and PR.  Some of her fans who remember the old show will probably tune in to see what the new Ricki show is like.

It comes on at noon CDT here in Houston, and it will be interesting to see if Ricki Lake v. 2.0 is as much of a ratings success as her previous show was. 

Korea's Next Top Model Features Trans Woman

It took America's Next Top Model 11 seasons before Isis King broke ground as the first open trans woman to appear on the show.   Its Korean counterpart took only three seasons to do so.

I've talked about Choi Han-bit, the now 26 year old transwoman who came in second on the 2009 edition of the Open Hall show that is a televised model search competition.   She was one of 1,200 contestants who started but the aspiring model kept progressing through the competition all the way to the finals.

She transitioned back in 2006 and has been diligently working to crack the modeling ranks in South Korea but keeps getting turned down for modeling jobs.  

She's now appearing on the third season of Korea's Next Top Model and once again has the eyes of a nation and the international trans community on her.  

Her appearance on KNTM3 has been met with mixed reviews from viewers and contestants, but show officials pointed out she is considered legally female in South Korea and it would be a human rights violation if she is not allowed to do so.

So far she is five shows into the KNTM3 cycle and has been doing well so far.   She finished third in one episode and in episode five won the reward challenge.    Staying alive and avoiding elimination is the name of that the game on that show, and so far Choi Han-bit has managed to do so. 

Here's hoping she not only makes the final of KNTM3, but wins it. 

Arsenio's Back In 2013!

Boring late night shows, your days are numbered.   I'm extremely happy to hear that Arsenio Hall is coming back to reclaim the late night throne he once occupied in the late 80's-early 90's    

Late night television hasn't been the same since Arsenio left the scene in 1994 and has regressed to the monoracial state of affairs that existed before he shook up late night with his highly rated syndicated show.

Hall's show debuted in 1989 and was a surprise hit that had crossover appeal, elected a president, won an Emmy Award and was a hip, cool venue that was the launching pad for many of the chart topping artists of the 90's

Now comes the welcome news that Arsenio Hall has inked a deal with CBS that would bring him back into the late night arena starting in September 2013

"In the end I'm a comic, and nothing fits the talk-show mode like a stand-up comic," Hall told the Los Angeles Times. Referring to the crowded field in late-night TV that includes "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" as well as traditional venues such as "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" he said : "I know there are a lot of shows, but I think there's a space for my show."

There most certainly is.   The other thing that CBS noted is that the 18-34 demo that watched Arsenio then is now in the coveted 35-54 demo that watches late night shows.  .  

The yet untitled show would be broadcast at 11 PM and reports are that 17 stations, including WGN-TV in Chicago and KTLA-TV in Los Angeles are already on board to carry it.  Those stations, plus six major-market CBS-owned outlets and seven from station group Local TV LLC, will give Hall instant access to more than half the country and a shot at replicating the success he had in the 90's.

So starting in September 2013, get ready to check out Arsenio Hall Show 2.0

Chloe Sevigny Discusses Playing A Transwoman In Upcoming BBC Series

Chloe Sevigny once played the girlfriend of transman Brandon Teena in the movie Boys Don't Cry, and now she's playing Mia, a pre-op transwoman contract killer with personal life complications beyond her gender issues in the upcoming BBC television series Hit and Miss.

In addition to discussing her character in this series, Chloe has an interview in which she talks about the prosthetic penis she wore in this series and how it made her feel to do so.






The SkyNews Interview

What Would You Do?-Transteen Trying To Come Out

The ABC Show What Would You Do? isn't shy about tackling trans issues, and another one they took on recently was a trans teen trying to explain at a restaurant to his disapproving mother that he needed to be a girl.

The mother and transteen were actors in this case and the hidden cameras ganged the reactions of eh people who witnessed the situation.

Friday ABC 'What Would You Do' Episode' To Tackle Transphobia

The ABC show What Would You Do? uses actors and actresses to set up moral dilemma situations and as the hidden cameras roll, we viewers get to see what the people who witness those staged situation do (or don't do) in reaction to what is transpiring in front of them

There was an interesting one I posted on the blog a while back as my home state peeps in Farmers Branch, TX probably to the surprise of many of you who like to knee jerk hate on red states rose to the defense of gay families in a diner and passed with flying colors..

On Friday's latest edition of the show they are going to tackle transphobia by using trans actress Carmen Carrera to play a waitress in a New Jersey diner.

Carrera plays a longtime waiter at the diner who transitions and has her trans status revealed by a longtime male customer played by another actor  who has a major problem with her transition. 

As he subjects her to transphobic slurs, the hidden camera is on the scene to record what happens next with the diner patrons.

Frankly, I and much of the trans community will be interested observers watching to see what happens as well.

Rachel Drops Knowledge On 'Meet The Press' Conservafools

Ever since David Gregory took over for the late Tim Russert on NBC's Meet The Press I have refused to watch the show because he leans too much in the conservafool column for my tastes, much less sucks as a moderator.

Rachel Maddow was on yesterday morning's edition of Meet The Press along with Hilary Rosen to confront Alex Casrtellanos and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) who the Republifools have been ttrotting out to spin their abysmal War on Women policies by going into denial about them.

But the best way to beat a conservafool spinning is drop megatons of facts on them.    They tried the tactic of cutting her off while speaking.   Rachel also calls Castellanos out for his misogny

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

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Dick Clark Passes Away

As my milestone birthday rapidly approaches, another one of the iconic personalities I grew up with has passed away.

I was saddened to hear that Dick Clark, who hosted American Bandstand for over 30 years, the $10,000, $25,000  and $100,000 Pyramid game shows, founded the American Music Awards and since 1972 rocked New Year's Eve for us, died of a massive heart attack in Santa Monica, CA yesterday morning. 

Dick Clark was not only an iconic presence on our television screens, but also helped integrate the music industry.  One of the first major predominately white shows that Motown artists got exposure on was his  American Bandstand, and the Bandstand dance floors were integrated.

But what I and everyone else will fondly remember is spending our New Year's Eves since 1972 courtesy of  the Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve show in which we got to see our fave music artists perform just before the ball dropped to usher in the New Year from New York's Times Square with him.



When New Year's Eve comes around in a few months and we move from this year to 2013, for a moment it will be a little sadder than normal because the 'World's Oldest Teenager' won't be around to do the final countdown.

Rest in peace Dick Clark, you will be missed..

'Work It' Cancelled!

The transphobic and controversial ABC show Work It debuted on January 3 to lower ratings than the Man Up! show it replaced.  

After losing another 20 per cent of its audience despite following Tim Allen's highly rated Last Man Standing show Work It was canceled after airing only two episodes.

Good riddance.  Not only did transpeople hate the show, so did the Puerto Rican community and women's groups.  

Work It drew a 2.0 rating in the adult 18-49 demographic and 6.1 million viewers in its debut episode but the second airing only garnered a 1.6 rating and 5.1 million viewers. 

Let this be a lesson for you programming execs.  When a marginalized community tells you that a proposed television show is problematic, that should be a clue for you that indicates something is seriously wrong with it and motivate you to correct the problems they address. 

If Paul Lee, ABC and the producers of this program would have listened to or worked with representatives of the trans community in the first place to retool it, they could have avoided this debacle.

Instead, they arrogantly plunged forward with this sorry ripoff of Bosom Buddies and paid the price for it.