“The dangerous transphobia of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda”

Yes, what the fuck has it got to do with 'transphobia'? Miss Trunchbull is a woman with 'masculine' features, what is the writer of this article actually saying, that she is a trans man?

I guess it depends whether you accept that Agatha Trunchbull is a TIM. It would seem so that she's an olympic hammer thrower and women weren't allowed to compete in the olympics according to the article so would suggest maybe she's trans. I don't read the story that way, to me she's a woman albeit not a stereotypical one and i think the character is stronger for that.

I would have said there's a sexist element to it, except that matilda's mother who is traditionally feminine and "chooses looks" is also a horrible person. As is her father, who is vain and crooked. I think the message isn't that trunchbull is hated because of her masculine appearance. Shes hated because she's a bully who uses her physical strength to terrorise children. Miss honey is a hero because she's kind, treats other people well and with consideration, is clever and appreciates the value of knowledge. Her character would work just as well if she were ugly.

I think as the author is only looking at the stage shows they will see men playing the role and assume that its transphobic. But isn't it sexist to assume a large masculine woman is really a man? isn't it sexist to cast a man in a female role? Pam ferris was probably the most perfectly cast actor in the film version and she's a woman. Personally I don't think female roles should be played by men, just as white actors shouldn't play parts that are written for black actors. The stage show turned the trunchbull into a pantomime dame and you didn't get any sense of menace because she was a figure of ridicule. It changed the slant of the story and not for the better in my view.

Cross post

WTAF? All the main characters are female. This levels the playing field and the rest is therefore able to be a commentary on characteristics. Miss Honey IMO reads as annoying and did when I was a child. The whole story is about Matilda and all the adults let her down in various ways, including Miss Honey when she is passive.

I read the book when i was young as recognising important things about the humanity of children as people that the adults, who are all flawed but ultimately are dictating her life, don’t really see. Until the end when miss honey finally gets it and stands up for Matilda.

X post palavra

Agree that you could point out sexism. Don't understand why it would be "transphobia".

The article in some ways highlights Dahls misogyny, but that's not surprising as he did have sexist views and also he was a child at the start of the 20th century and the culture was very different.
However to say transphobia is just rubbish. It's sexism, not transphobia.

I do agree with it in the sense of the traditionally feminine Miss honey v. masculine Trunchbull. However id have assumed that this was an example of sexism? WITh that said there are so many examples of sexism in good books, musicals etc that avoiding it on that basis alone is not sensible.

Reinforcing gender stereotypes is what TRAs do. E.g. a woman who 'acts like a man' must be a man.

Clicky link (hopefully);

www.salon.com/2013/10/27/the_dangerous_transphobia_of_roald_dahls_matilda/