Why The Fosters Is A Game-Changer For Trans Representation

For so long, TV and film have depicted the trans experience at its worst: Brandon Teena is raped and murdered in Boys Dont Cry, Rayon is HIV-positive and addicted to drugs in Dallas Buyers Club, and while Jame Gumb (a.k.a Buffalo Bill) from The Silence of The Lambs doesnt specifically identify as transgender during the course of film, theyre a serial killer whos building a woman suit with the skin of their victims. Their gender might be ambiguous, but the lesson that gender non-conforming people are something to fear is clear.

The vast majority of people in America dont know someone whos transgender (87 percent according to GLAAD ). This lack of any kind of personal connection allows filmmakers (and politicians, as of late) to demonize trans people, to turn them into villains and something with which to be circumspect.

When its not something tragic, its easy for filmmakers, despite good intentions, to focus on transition stories. Audiences love any type of makeover sequence, right? Its an easy, visible representation of a persons journey, yet exclusively focussing on their transition ignores any of the other aspects or accomplishments in a persons life.

In 2015, the world was reintroduced to Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, a revered painter and one of the first people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. If you havent seen it, Im about to spoil it: she dies at the end. Its a beautifully depicted transition story, and like so many other narratives that involve trans people, it ends tragically.

Now, its important to note that these arent made up struggles; transgender people face exceedingly high levels of discrimination and poverty. Laverne Coxs portrayal of Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black is lovely and nuanced, and doesnt focus on her transition, but still, shes incarcerated and subjected to horrific transphobia and abuse.

These depictions are incredibly real and relevant, but they beg the question: if we watch TV and film to learn about ourselves and the world, why arent transgender people allowed to have a happy ending?

In recent years, televisions brought a greater depth to transgender characters and their stories: Alexandra Billings and Trace Lysette on Transparent, Jamie Clayton on Sense8, and Elliot Fletcher on Shameless and The Fosters, are a few strong examples.

Elliot Fletcher on the The Fosters demands specific attention because trans men have historically garnered less representation than trans women, but more importantly, the latest episode of The Fosters has cemented Elliot as a new love interest for the lead of the show.

Transgender people are capable of having romantic relationships; theyre capable of being loved and desired. That feels silly to write. I hope it felt that way to read it, but today, where we are right now, it has to be said.

As a culture, were finally recognizing that theres a difference between gender and sexuality, but this all too often means that weve completely removed all references to sexuality from depictions of trans people.

On The Fosters, Elliots character oozes swagger and sex appeal. When he kisses Callie (played by Maia Mitchell), she kisses him back. Their chemistrys been building all season and its thrilling to watch. This scene exists as the antithesis to the prevailing narrative thats played out for decades on screen where a male protagonist falls in love with a beautiful woman, only to discover with horror and disgust that shes transgender. Historically, characters have only been allowed to desire trans people in secret, and they could only express that desire if it was with a sex worker.

The Fosters is changing that.

Never before has a family drama on network cable had a transgender love interest for the lead of their show. When Maia Mitchell kisses Elliot Fletchers character knowing that hes transgender, shes signaling to the people watching and the millions of fans who look up to her (she has 3.3 million followers on Instagram), that trans people are not something to fear. To the transgender kids watching, shes communicating a lesson thats not often reinforced on screen: you are worthy of being love and desired.

With so few people knowing a trans person personally, combined with our history of subpar representation, its these types of stories that are actively changing the way people think. Every time we see a trans person on TV or in a film, it matters. It helps to shape the publics perception. And with so few depictions of trans people that involve a happy ending, its the representation like this that needs to be recognized and celebrated.

Jeffrey Masters documents the stories of the LGBTQ community on the podcast, LGBTQ&A .