Can’t speak to sitcoms, but I’m watching ER (1994) and it gave two excellent examples
In season one, where it was more prestigious and Michael Crichton was more directly involved, there’s an episode where a trans women comes in and the doctors are uncomfortable treating her - which eventually leads to the patient’s suicide. The moral being that even this person who is strange deserves compassion from us.
In season three, where it has become more of a formulaic tv drama, there’s an episode where a trans woman comes in and it’s played entirely for laughs, including the trans woman insisting that she gets bad PMS when on her period.
Yeesh. As a queer teenager in the 90s, I definitely remember TV reenforcing my fears and reducing me to a punchline. And then Will & Grace happened, and I couldn’t stand the stereotypes, but suddenly people were laughing with us instead of at us. Representation matters so much. Even if it’s not the best, it still matters.
Can’t speak to sitcoms, but I’m watching ER (1994) and it gave two excellent examples
In season one, where it was more prestigious and Michael Crichton was more directly involved, there’s an episode where a trans women comes in and the doctors are uncomfortable treating her - which eventually leads to the patient’s suicide. The moral being that even this person who is strange deserves compassion from us.
In season three, where it has become more of a formulaic tv drama, there’s an episode where a trans woman comes in and it’s played entirely for laughs, including the trans woman insisting that she gets bad PMS when on her period.
Yeesh. As a queer teenager in the 90s, I definitely remember TV reenforcing my fears and reducing me to a punchline. And then Will & Grace happened, and I couldn’t stand the stereotypes, but suddenly people were laughing with us instead of at us. Representation matters so much. Even if it’s not the best, it still matters.