Under the current guidelines of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, hormone replacement therapy is reserved for children 16 and older, while puberty blockers are typically used for those under 16. The second season of Euphoria is preoccupied with a timeworn moral sentiment. Having that kind of communicated authenticity combined with the fact that Jules narrative is only barely tied to her trans identity what do you think sets her character arc apart from other trans narratives that we see on TV? Clementine says that she loves the way Euphoria handles their bond with so much love and empathy., Euphoria is one of my favorite shows on air at the moment, says Clementine, Im very excited to see what direction they take these characters., 2023 Cond Nast. She made her acting debut as transgender high school student Jules Vaughn in the HBO teen drama television series Euphoria (2019-present), which earned her critical praise and nominations for a Shorty . They look at it and decide how they want to deal with us. Ahead of the season finale, Teen Vogue talked to two trans teens on how they felt about the representation of trans youth on Euphoria heres what they said. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. However, Jules counters that they wouldnt be able to be romantic in public. Clementine agrees adding that she loves how the show portrays Jules as a normal teenage girl. And chances are, most viewers havent either. Euphoria, first released in 2019 on HBO, stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn, respectively. On "Euphoria," the characters' digital and physical lives are constantly swirling around one another, usually in a downward spiral that ends in alienation and self-loathing. Although many are appalled (myself included) by its graphic nature, it cannot be denied that the series paints a deeply authentic picture of queer people in a way that many shows have been unable to capture. Schofield was integral to the creation of the character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Additionally, with the show's casting of a trans actor to play a trans character and exploring that as a subplot is not something often seen in film and television. Its because that narrative was listened to. Courtesy of HBO. Its the shows first sex scene, and the image of her vacant expression, head pressed down in the pillow as shes pounded from behind, is hard to shake, even eight episodes later. Euphoria is one of the most popular shows around right now and the character of Jules has become a cultural icon for trans teenagers and transgender youth. While there is a demand for a more racially diverse cast, it means that there needs to be a racially diverse writers room. Required fields are marked *. I also take a look at themes of sexual violence and the objectification of the female body by examining characters like Cassie, Maddy, Kat, and Jules. Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. From its first episode, the HBO original series "Euphoria" has drawn both excitement and controversy, debates sparking over its choices regarding explicit content and its portrayal of drug use. Whatever lengths Levinson went to in order to mitigate his perspective (and he consulted transgender sensitivity trainer and actor Scott Turner Schofield extensively) as creator, producer, writer, and director of the series, theres no denying that Euphoria employs his gaze and it has been met with acclaim. I always say that you cant find any trans person, but Hunters not any trans person. As Schafer pointed out to Variety, There need to be more roles where trans people arent just dealing with being trans; theyre being trans while dealing with other issues. Euphoria has stepped into problematic territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules, Nate and Cal. Weelaunee forest defender Tortugita was killed on January 18. I want to come on and play somebodys Auntie, said Transparent actress Trace Lysette, who is gearing up for the fall release of Hustlers, in which shell feature opposite Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. That was very much Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, Yes, please say this! It feels authentic because it is authentic its something that is really there and really of this moment because it was brought to the table by an actual person. It was just in this pink football jersey that little Jules was wearing. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. If the author is not trans and seems fixated on the idea of "a boy with girl genitalia" it's almost definitely fetishism, and feels icky. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Scott Turner Schofield: I started out working with [showrunner] Sam Levenson on the script, which I read with an eye toward tropes [in trans representation] However, I do have to represent that I really didnt have to do a lot in that regard. Required fields are marked *. ", Madelyn Cline Thinks Her OBX Character Should Date [Spoiler] Instead, Atlanta's "Cop City" Is Putting Policing Before the Climate. The objective of this article is to explore this second perspective by analyzing the representation of Jules, a trans female character from the American series Euphoria (Levinson et al., 2019 . This is mostly rooted in the shows notable lack of labels. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Trans representation in Euphoria. The trans character in The Crying Game is problematic in the extreme, and is played by a cis man, to boot. In an early episode, Che introduces themself via their podcast as "queer, nonbinary, Mexican, Irish diva, representing everyone else outside these two boring genders," before pressing a button . The second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance to binge watch until the new season premieres! Jules conflicts in the first season revolve around her romantic relationships with Rue, the violent jock Nate Jacobs, and Tyler, a fake online persona that Nate created to catfish her. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Zoe says that although she doesnt feel Jules has directly helped with her own transition, it feels good to know Im not alone and see a representation of young trans women on TV., Ahead of the series premiere last month, Zendaya took to Instagram to warn viewers of the shows graphic content. Why is he using his negative views of people like us for this show? Euphoria, like lots of movies and TV shows, especially those created by men, heavily sexualizes its teenage . It does not store any personal data. mental health. Shes introduced as Jules, not as the trans girl, but just a new girl who happens to be transgender. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. I said [to Sam Levinson], Jules is the one who gets herself more than anybody else on this show. Your email address will not be published. Theyre so enthusiastic and warm. That was the true moment of real trans infiltration, you know what I mean? I feel the way it depicts Jules is exploitative and dehumanizing. Influencers: Profiles of a Partnership 2022, How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire, 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Is a Heartbreaking Vision of What Could Have Been, 'The Last of Us' Isn't Playing the Game You Think, The Best True Crime Streaming Now, from 'Unsolved Mysteries' to 'McMillions' to 'The Staircase', Oscars 2023: Best Visual Effects Predictions. And one million people are watching. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. So yeah, objectify us.. Oct 21, 2020. Editorial: The New York Times article on Maitland Jones was incomplete. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. Much better. Had an exchange on twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be a woman, in that sense. In an uncharacteristically safe move for Soloway, Josh balks at following through with a sexual relationship after finding out Shea is HIV-positive. However, subtle details in the semi-biopic film push it into bad representation territory. Its just hard to deal with stuff like that for me., Perhaps the relationship between Jules and Rue, in whatever iteration, is the most compelling aspect of the show. Member. "Jules is absolutely one of my . Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. Shes white, skinny, conventionally attractive, and passes well. Still, the majority of the cast is white, and some of the shows non-white fans want a more racially diverse main cast. Analyzing LGBTQIA representation in 'Euphoria', researchers find the series presents trans characters 'very differently from traditional manner' In the series, there is a narrative that goes beyond the "trans phenomenon", it is not limited to solely presenting her "coming out" or her "transition", but also explores other . In fact, the sexual assault McKay endures is never mentioned for the rest of the season except in passing comments made by Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), his white girlfriend, to her friends. In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". While fundamentally flawed due to each having their own unresolved issues, they somehow still share a tender and romantic relationship without being sexualized in the way a lot of female/female relationships in media tend to be. but by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules, In season two, Sam Levinson tries to humanize this character. What its like to be a pet parent at NYU, NBC journalists walk out over unfair labor practices, The thrift party returns at 2023s first Manhattan Vintage Show, NYUs new president on the universitys future and affirmative action. But am I saying Levinson is homophobic and transphobic? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He is the sole writer and creator of the hit HBO television series Euphoria. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated second season is falling flat and many viewers are noticing why: Levinson writes stories empowered by experiences he does not hold. B. Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the . All Rights Reserved. What I see happening in most other places is that even if we do listen to a trans actor and let them bring their own story, its still mitigated through other peoples control. Having queer individuals involved in the story and writing process of shows, not just Euphoria, allows for marginalized groups to have a way to tell their own stories, instead of people who have not gone through their experiences telling it for them. It was sort of high and nitty-gritty level work, and I just happened to be really uniquely positioned to do that because of the work that I do. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. There was a push to sort of really name the labels, whether it was Jules labels or to label Jules and Rues relationship in a way that isnt really how we do things anymore. Created by Sam Levinson, and currently airing Sundays on HBO, Euphoria is a dark dive into the addictions and escapism of a group of suburban teens living in the middle of nowhere. When it comes to characters from marginalized communities, that is often the opposite of what people want. Euphoria. Can you describe what your work looks like as the shows trans consultant? Not a good recommendation. And that Sam got that so right without words, just got it completely spot on that was the greatest high, better than any drug Ive ever used. Who thinks that watching 16,000 ultra-violent gun murders / simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (American Psychiatric Association, 1998) has fed the fires of our current situation? 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