TVIV is a phrase used to describe the ongoing TV period and includes everything from quality TV, technological development, the period of streaming services, binge-watching, and so on. (Mareike Jenner, 2018) Within the term TVIV comes Trans TV, a movement and phrase used to describe the representational transformations and technological transformations in TV. (Michael Goddard, Christopher Hogg, 2020) The new internet distributed content, and new streaming platforms, with subscribing users rather than advertisement-funded TV channels, allowed the platform more freedom in what they produced. With that came more inclusive content. (Michael Goddard, Christopher Hogg, 2020)

The period of TV we find ourselves in today has opened up many new stories and characters to embrace and enlighten the world about the LGBTQ+ community, and help so many individuals with acceptance and understanding. One TV show representing the trans community is ‘The Umbrella Academy’ (2019-). The character Vanya Hargreeves’s actor Elliot Page, came out as trans in late 2020, when the show was on a break between seasons two and three. (Olivia Pym, 2022) In the new season Page’s character, Vanya comes out to his family as trans and becomes Victor. Instead of the show dragging out this transition, they make it short and sweet yet respectful and representative. (Olivia Pym, 2022) The way in which the writers and producers let Elliot Page take control over his own life and transition in the show has later been praised on social media pages like Twitter. The user @postmerlot on Twitter said: ‘nothing but respect for the umbrella academy team for not only retroactively going back to szn 1-3 to properly credit Elliot Page but also integrating his journey into his character in a way that made my heart burst a lil more each ep’.

This type of representation is what Anamarija Horvat praises as it is the type of television that ‘points towards a new phase of queer television, not only the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters but also queering the homonationalists of portraying LGBTQ+ identities.’ (Anamarija Horvat in Goddard and Hogg, 2020).

Sources

• Mareike Jenner, ‘Netflix and the Re-invention of Television’, 2018, Springer International Publishing AG. Accessed: 23.11.2022. Available: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/goldsmiths/reader.action?docID=5475331
• Michael Goddard, Christopher Hogg, ‘Introduction: Trans TV dossier, III: Trans TV re-evaluated, part 2’, 2020. Sage journals. Accessed: 23.11.2022. Available: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1749602020937566
• Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater, ‘The Umbrella Academy’, 2019-. Netflix. Accessed: 23.11.2022
• Olivia Pym, ‘The Umbrella Academy season 3 lets Elliot Page take control of his own story‘, 2022. QG. Accessed: 23.11.2022. Available: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/elliott-page-transition-umbrella-academy-3-explained-netflix

23.11.2022, synne rage