Trans actors complaining about casting

[TimeForDebate]

Trans actors are complaining that cisgender actors are playing trans characters, and that this shouldn't be allowed.

But ...

If 'trans women are women, and trans men are men ...' surely ... under their own logic, it's completely irrelevant? It shouldn't matter a bit whether actors are trans or women etc. Aren't they getting all muddled up, suggesting trans men and trans women ... aren't?

Or is that only when it suits them?

www.glamour.com/story/should-cisgender-actors-be-allowed-to-play-transgender-characters

Sorry, that was for @Howard97A

Urbanbeetle

I’m assuming that the ‘specific characteristic’ that you think an actor should have if they’re portraying a transwoman is that they should look something like a biological man. Is that what you mean? If so, I would ask again why the actor should not be a biological man. I would also ask how you square your position with the acknowledgment that ‘if an actor has lived through transition, they MAY have physical features which match the part …’ (Doesn’t this imply that the ‘specific characteristic’ – ie looking something like a biological man - is not in fact necessary?)

You say that ‘I know actors don’t have to live the experience they are recreating but when it is possible to give a role to someone who has, surely that is more likely to lead to a more authentic performance …’
I disagree. I think that what conveys authenticity is the quality of the acting. Like most people I’ve experienced grief and joy, but I couldn’t begin to ‘act’ those experiences to others.

Urbanbeetle

I've screwed up the italics, but I hope you can understand it!

I get your point. But it seems to assume that trans-actors may not be capable of the same high quality of acting as non-trans actors. I guess my argument is assuming that there are equally good trans and non trans actors available to casting agents.

And a biological man would not have a deep understanding of small nuanced movements that a trans woman may make to particularly ‘feminise’ what might be seen as ‘masculine’ movement.

I know I don’t sound very articulate about this - I’m not in the industry so what I’m trying to say is just based on what feels right. If you are an actor, you probably know more than I do about this.

That meant - a biological man who hasn’t transitioned.

Urbanbeetle

I know nothing about the relative quality of trans and non-trans actors, or about the film industry. I would say that if that there are equally good trans and non-trans actors available to casting agents, and all else being equal, there is no reason why either should be prioritized.

You say that a biological man would not have a deep understanding of small nuanced movements that a trans woman may make to particularly feminise what might be seen as masculine movement.

But from what I’ve seen on TV, u-tube etc, I would say that most transwomen haven’t got the least idea how to feminise what might be seen as masculine movement. They seem outlandishly stereotypical.
On the other hand, I’d have thought that this kind of thing was the stock-in-trade of a professional actor.

My view is that transwomen and male actors are both biological men copying women, and professional actors do it better.

They can't have it both ways if trans actors want the transpeople parts reserved for them then any roles that represent a woman who was born a woman should be reserved for such women. Or do they just want the benefits to flow in one direction (theirs) yet again?

Well - we can agree to disagree which is further than most arguments get in this debate!

So they're allowed to play act at being women but women are not allowed to play act at being them.

Not quite as simplistic as that now, is it.

Actually it is.

lol at casting real vampires