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Original poster

Casting a woman as a transwoman

206 replies

Hazchem · 06/06/2014 10:33

So there is a show about to air on the Australian ABC about Carlotta who is an incredibly well known and important entertainer in Australia. She Les Girls, was the first transexual in an Australian soap opera. An icon, someone whose very being has made changes to the Australian cultural landscape. She was original born male and very early on had surgery

So the person they have picked to play her is a ciswomen. Surely there was a trans actor who could have taken the role. My feeling is that a women has been cast because she can be sexy in the Les Girls numbers without making people feel uncomfortable about seeing her as sexy.

Am I over thinking this? Is it gender equality to have a ciswomen plan a transwomen?

OP posts:
SixImpossible · 06/06/2014 14:31

As Laurence Olivier said to Dustin Hoffman, when DH was running himself into exhaustion in preparation for a scene in Marathon Man: "Why not just act exhausted?"

The actor does not need to be what they are acting.

FloraFox · 06/06/2014 14:23

I don't think you're overthinking OP, I just don't see how this would be a feminist issue.

meditrina · 06/06/2014 12:10

If they refused to let trans women audition, then I would agree it was wrong.

But if the part required an actor who identifies as female now, then if any such actor auditions, they should choose the one who is right for the part, irrespective of birth gender.

The character of Hayley Cropper probably did more to advance positive perceptions of trans women than anying else I can think of in UK. What the actor for that role, or any other role, is like in RL isn't the important point.

almondcakes · 06/06/2014 12:01

Why should a trans woman play the part? You don't have to have been brought up in care to play a care leaver, have been raped to play the part of a rape victim or be bisexual to play a bisexual character. Why would you have to be a trans woman to play one?

EBearhug · 06/06/2014 11:13

Isn't that the same as Hayley in Coronation Street?

LRDtheFeministDragon · 06/06/2014 11:11

I think it's an odd choice, yes. Felicity Huffman has also played a transwoman, if I remember rightly.