Having sung the praises of Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox for all they’ve done for the transgender community, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) certainly doesn’t sound thrilled about a new movie that stars actress Michelle Rodriguez playing the role of a “male to female” transgender hitman/hitwoman.
As The Hollywood Reporter (THR) explains, Tomboy: A Revenger’s Tale, “centers on an ace assassin who is double-crossed by gangsters and falls into the hands of rogue surgeon known as "The Doctor," who turns him into a woman. The hitman (now a hitwoman) sets out for revenge, aided by a nurse named Johnnie, who also has secrets.”
Did you follow that?
GLAAD has taken issue with the film, saying that gender reassignment surgery shouldn’t be used as a “sensationalistic plot device” even though they haven’t even read the script. GLAAD’s Director of programs for transgender media, Nick Adams, told THR “We haven't read the script, but it's disappointing to see filmmakers turning what is a life-saving medical procedure for transgender people into a sensationalistic plot device…”
Adams also believes these kinds of movies could potentially undermine progress the transgender community has made, saying, “We are at a crucial moment in the public's understanding of transgender issues, and stories like these have the potential to undermine the progress we've worked so hard to achieve.”
Rodriguez isn’t the first female actress to play in a “female to male to female” transgender role – Hilary Swank, Tilda Swinton and Raquel Welch are women who portrayed transgender women in movies. Actors Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, and Jared Leto are also actors who famously portrayed a transgender woman in movies. However, there are actual transgender actresses the role could have gone to, such as Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, and we can’t forget Caitlyn Jenner (though she isn’t an actress, but still.)
It’s interesting that GLAAD would take issue over a movie when they haven’t even read the script, yet not take issue with using a female actress to play the role of a male-to-female transgender woman.
