I would go on set and see this representation that just felt so true and so right. 06.18.19. The record-breaking second season premiere of Euphoria comes in the wake of a provocative first season.Controversy is great for views, but these massive numbers make it evident; there is more than . 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. While television shows Orange Is the New Black (OITNB) and Transparent have made headlines for their inclusion of trans performers and their debatably authentic takes on trans experiences, Euphoria signals a new era in trans representation, one that is defined by a "cool" trans aesthetic that epitomizes multiplatform television's investment in trans as an edgy brand marker. Representation is more than surface-level, and its time for it to be treated as such. Amid gut-wrenching scenes of overdoses and withdrawals is a take on sexual orientation and power dynamics that becomes more questionable as the episodes go on. 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. I feel the way it 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. This is mostly rooted in the shows notable lack of labels. It is reasonable to want positive representation in hit shows. There you have it, Ellie. #19. Asking this of Levinson is likely to be unfruitful. Were so much more complex than just one identity.. I get my entire life off of that show on Sundays.. Hunter Schafer, who plays trans teen Jules Vaughn on the hit HBO series Euphoria, is setting the record straight about her sexual identity. PHoto: Courtesy of HBO. The typical narrative element of transgender representation in thrillers is that these characters are framed through the pathologizing lens of criminal deviance: just as popular as the comic image of the "man in a dress" is the trans killer, popularized by movies such as Psycho, Dressed to Kill, and the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs. We would have to explain things to the people much higher up who have a say in how the story gets told. Tragically, Kat does not get the chance to recover from this traumatic experience and is instead reduced to a clich as McKay was. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. 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. Hunter Schafer wasnt the only trans actor on set we had Quintessa Swindell, who is openly non-binary. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Read on to get the full details on this fan-favorites backstory and find out when her gender identity is revealed. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Then, I came on set and I worked with everybody in the crew. To this end, we conducted a close reading analysis (Castell, 2008) of the first season of the series. If you haven't heard about Orange is the New Black 's stunning portrayal of a black trans woman in prison, portrayed by the brilliant . Jules is depicted as mentally unstable, her depiction rooted in negative cliches of what trans people are. 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. This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. Men are so quick to profess their love for cis women. In terms of representation of people of color in the cast, it can be said that Euphoria is lacking in that department given that the majority of the cast is white, which leaves many . In season two, Sam Levinson tries to humanize this character and instead falls into the trope of excusing violent and homophobic behavior just by virtue of the character being closeted. Posted by. Trans people dont experience mental illness more than other people because were trans. One of the only Black characters, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy which fuels the already common stereotypes of Black men having to be hyper-athletic and hypemasculine was introduced in season one, and his storyline has seemed to be abandoned in the new season. 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. after refusing to write diversity statement, Women with disabilities more likely to report food insecurity, NYU study finds, Beyond NYU: Working toward worldwide access to health and education, Beyond NYU: Dancing around the world won her an Emmy, Beyond NYU: Addressing historical injustices in dermatology, Cafe 181 & Crave NYU cook up crowds at the Paulson Center, Fans glow for Glossiers new SoHo storefront, More like college: When NYU had a campus in the Bronx, My relationship with Karelian pies: Connecting with my Finnish heritage, Markarian manifests Old Hollywood glamour at Fashion Week, Mark Badgley and James Mischka bring elegance to the table, Flying Solo: A cultural fashion collective unites, Private Policy Family Dinner: NYFW F/W 2020, Fashion Palette Australian Designers S/S 2020, Swiss Touch Presents: Mode Suisse S/S 2020, Why WSN Will Not Cover New York Fashion Week In-Person This Year, Chuks Collins goes through a style metamorphosis, Deity New Yorks Spring/Summer 2022 collection screams femme fatale, Imperial Legacy brings I NY gift shop to NYFW, Foresight into fashions future: emerging designers visions for menswear, You can sit with us: CISE brings empowering pieces to the NYFW showroom, Dancers stole the show at the 2022 Uplive x Hekka NYFW runway show, Claudia Li brings another quirky, playful collection to Fashion Week, Diamond in the rough: THEO continues mining for brand identity, ChickenHawk: The West Villages spiciest, sweetest and most affordable chicken, My relationship with rice: Rediscovering its richness, Heres the scoop on the best ice cream in NYC, Spoil yourself and impress your friends with a refreshing spritz, Remaking the protein bar: the ugly, processed truth of a beloved snack, Neither shaken nor stirred: A foolproof guide to mastering the gin and tonic, How NYU students can live up to the legacy of mutual aid in NYC, Small-business renewal program rekindles Chinatown spirit, New York Citys only refugee shelter is out of space, What Mauna Loas eruption means as a Native Hawaiian, He aha ka manao nui o Pele ma Mauna Loa ma ke ano he Kanaka Maoli, Ranked: NYU students who will break your heart by senior year, Review: Dont waste your time with Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Review: New doc on Sarah Lawrence cult tells the harrowing truth of survivors, Doechii and Earl Sweatshirt bring the heat to V100, Review: Return to Seoul explores the tragic reconciliation of adopted identities, And then there was one: A look into Panic! Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the . Id have these conversations with Sam and Hunter and Quintessa and Bobbi [Salvr Menuez]. mental health. Your email address will not be published. Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) Netflix. A high femme newcomer in town, Jules . The series follows Rue, Jules, and a handful of other teens as they struggle with addiction, sexuality, abuse, and identity. In fact, its not much to ask at all. His role as the only Black male lead is replaced by Elliot (Dominic Fike) in season two a drug addict, another racist stereotype. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. Since Hunter Schafer stepped into the spotlight playing Jules in the HBO hit Euphoria, her star power has skyrocketed. 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. Erm. Why is he using his negative views of people like us for this show? Tragically, Kat does not get the chance to recover from this traumatic experience and is instead reduced to a. Warning: spoilers abound! People find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives . 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. Cis women have been objectified for many, many years. Kira. July 22, 2019. Lets hope Euphoria moves forward to highlight how the new generations anticipate and welcome trans individuals into society. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. But more than anything, it focuses on family and what that means when you get to pick . This was a deliberate choice one approved of by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Shes white, skinny, conventionally attractive, and passes well. Jules started transitioning when she was 13 years old. This enablement of stereotypes extends to Kat (Barbie Ferreira). The only Black male lead character in the first season, McKay (Algee Smith), is a football prodigy already an extension of the common racist stereotyping of Black boys and men as hyper-athletic in his first year of college. It is not empowering or accepting: it creates a skewed view of homophobia that ultimately lets it slide. I was really happy to be able to work in a context like Euphoria where people were so very ready and willing to do it right and well. In her first major scene in the shows pilot, Jules arrives at a roadside motel nervous, but excited to meet a hot daddy for a Grindr hook-up that soon becomes chillingly impersonal. New viewers wondered early on Is Jules trans in Euphoria? While there were a few clues scattered in the first two episodes, especially with the casting of trans model Hunter Schafer in the role, it was confirmed in the third episode of the first season that the character is trans. With words, that was not said in any way. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. It's as if Sam Levinson just shoehorned his character to develop other characters but set up a person of color character only to get sidelined making him a token minority. already suffer from Levinsons inadequate writing. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In the first season, we see her trying to navigate her womanhood and problems with intimacy. In an uncharacteristically safe move for Soloway, Josh balks at following through with a sexual relationship after finding out Shea is HIV-positive. All Rights Reserved. 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