There is an extreme lack of representation of transgender women in fictional media; “Out of 4,169 speaking characters in the biggest movies of the year, five were trans, one was non-binary — and four of those six were in Billy Eichner’s commercial flop Bros.“¹ On the occasion that a trans individual is present in a film, filmmakers tend to hyper-focus on the gender identity of the character over a well-rounded character and portrayals seem skewed towards a single defining characteristic; their gender identity. Depictions often involve the over-sexualization of trans bodies, especially of transgender women, with a focus on their physical appearance and how their bodies may differ from societal norms along with harmful stereotypes and exploitative imagery.²

Even films like Barbie (2023) by Greta Gerwig, which has been widely considered highly progressive with its jabs at corporate feminism and bodily autonomy in the 21st century,³ fall short.⁴ The movie features trans actor Hari Nef and includes a statement by Margot Robbie or ‘Stereotypical Barbie’ at the beginning of the movie, “I do not have a vagina” – which has been interpreted as gender-affirming for some trans viewers – however, the movie ends with Barbie visiting a gynaecologist as an ode to the ‘real’ female human experience.⁵

While trans representation in mainstream media and films is still a point of political debate and an afterthought, the adult entertainment industry has filled this vacuum in representation, and has become the focal point of access for what it means to be trans, especially for non-trans folk. At the tail end of 2022, PornHub reported a 75% increase in searches for trans pornography,⁶ while Google Analytics revealed that Americans in states with the most legally oppressive or constrictive laws towards trans individuals, or largely Conservatives, were the ones searching for transgender porn.⁷

Although consuming adult content could be considered exploring sexual interests, the coupling of an ‘anti-transgender’ political climate with the mostly pornographic representation of trans identities, accompanied by a lack of representation or prejudiced depictions in mainstream media, calls for concern. The over-sexualization of trans women through the eyes of the male gaze in the adult entertainment industry provides a fetishised and objectified image of trans individuals, where transgender bodies are portrayed solely for the sexual gratification of others.⁸

By Nikita Cecil [33656165]

1. Rude, M. (2023) ‘Bros’ had 80% of all trans characters in 2022’s top grossing movies, Out Magazine. Available at: https://www.out.com/film/bros-trans-characters (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
2. Donegan, S. (no date) Trans representation in cinema and TV – LGBTHEALTH.ORG.UK, LGBT Health. Available at: https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/blog/trans-representation-cinema-tv/ (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
3. Dyche, O. (2023) Why Barbie is one of the most important and progressive movies of All time, MovieWeb. Available at: https://movieweb.com/why-barbie-is-one-of-the-most-important-and-progressive-movies/ (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
4. Luddy, L. (2023) Trans representation in movies isn’t great – but in 2023, I feel more seen than ever, Polygon. Available at: https://www.polygon.com/23924707/trans-representation-2023-movies-across-the-spider-verse-barbie-personal-essay (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
5. Barbie. (2023) Warner Bros. ↩︎
6. Insights, P. (2023) The 2022 year in Review, Pornhub Insights. Available at: https://www.pornhub.com/insights/2022-year-in-review (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
7. Kelsey (2022) Data finds Republicans are obsessed with searching for transgender porn, Lawsuit.org. Available at: https://lawsuit.org/general-law/republicans-have-an-obsession-with-transgender-pornography/ (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎
8. Montoya, R. (2023) The oversexualization of Trans Bodies, Time. Available at: https://time.com/6333768/oversexualization-trans-bodies-essay/ (Accessed: 07 November 2023).  ↩︎