Rhys Mitchell 33753411

When The Umbrella Academy reintroduced Elliot Page’s ‘Viktor Hargreeves’, it felt like a groundbreaking moment for trans-representation. Here was a major show incorporating a trans-character into its story with respect and care. But as season 3 unfolded, Viktor’s transition was treated almost as an afterthought – a quick conversation, a few affirmations, then back to the regularly scheduled saving-of-the-world. While subtle representation has its merits, this approach raises a larger question: is this meaningful inclusion or just ticking the diversity box?

The phenomenon of box-ticking arises when inclusivity is reduced to a checklist rather than a thoughtful integration of marginalized perspectives. Shows such as Umbrella Academy, Designated Survivor & Glee are arguably guilty of this – introducing transgender characters in a way that foregrounds their identity but fails to embed them into the story meaningfully. Michael Goddard’s work on ‘Trans-TV’ sheds light on this tension, suggesting that this approach can feel performative, designed more to signal progressiveness than to create authentic representation (Goddard, 2018).

In The Umbrella Academy, Viktor’s identity is acknowledged but not deeply explored. While some may argue that normalizing trans characters without centring their transition is a step forward, Goddard’s work pushes us to consider whether this simplicity risks sidelining the complexity of trans experiences.

Box ticking doesn’t just refer to tokenism, but also the tendency for diverse representation to exist in service of optics. Trans characters, when treated as symbolic gestures rather than fully realised people, can alienate viewers. For trans audiences, seeing their identities reduced to narrative footnotes can be disheartening. Others may dismiss it as mere virtue-signalling, reinforcing the idea that diversity is more about meeting quotas than telling meaningful stories.

References:

Michael Goddard (2018), ‘Introduction: Trans TV as concept and intervention into contemporary television’, Critical Studies in Television 13:4: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1749602018798217

Bibliography:

Anamarija Horvat ‘Crossing the Borders of Queer TV: Depictions of migration and (im)mobility in contemporary LGBTQ television’, Trans TV Dossier 3, Critical Studies In Television 15: 3: https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/csta/15/3 

Deborah Shaw and Rob Stone eds. (2021). Sense8: Transcending Television. London; New York: Bloomsbury.

Amy Villarejo (2014) Ethereal Queer: Television, Historicity, Desire