Crossdressing on TV

[heatherdress]

TV has had relatively few shows with significant crossdressing roles. Most TV CDers seem to have been insignificant random roles or comedy characters. Bosom Buddies and MASH's Klinger were regular comedy roles which depicted males crossdressing to mislead others, not because they enjoyed crossdressing. With all the thousands of TV characters, why has TV avoided a serious CD character? RuPaul depicts drag queen competition and related drama. But participants do not show their day-to-day normal lives. Will reality TV see possibly more CDing shows or roles? If TV depicted crossdressing differently, perhaps in positive roles rather than comedy stereotypes, would it lead to better understanding and maybe more people experiencing crossdressing?

[Contessa]

Heatherdress would you put your life on tv. Not just your cd life but your regular life as a male on television?


Tess

[Missy]

there have been a lot more movies and shows that talk and show men and woman that crossdress
take a look at how long TV took to show Gay couples in movies and or TV shows
It will just take time to get use to the idea

[heatherdress]

Contessa - there have been countless TV roles played by thousands of actors. Why not an actor who plays a serious crossdresser?

Reality TV is quite different. But it is possible to create a spin-off from RuPaul depicting the follow-up day-to-day lives of participants. Or new shows depicting crossdressers who are already open. Or shows in which participants are given crossdressing situations, experiences etc.

This question was not about exposing private lives.

The list of movie and TV crossdresing characters is quite long. But just about every role is a stereotype comedy role or an insignificant minor character. Seems Hollywood would have made some "progress" by now. Would a serious crossdressing detective or doctor role create many interesting possibilities for some show, even if it is not the main theme?

[docrobbysherry]

U may be rite, Heather. It's possibly time for a CD show to be acceptable. Unfortunately, someone in Hollywood has to see a script or situation or person that he thinks will be VERY ENTERTAINING to Muggles! So, think; stupid, insipid, situation comedy. Or, reality TV showing the life of a flamboyant, outragous, drag queen type. Or, reality TV with someone famous that comes out and they follow him/her around!

A real life working stiff that dresses on the side? Or, the struggles of a real pre-op TS? Both good for maybe a one hour show on public TV! Maybe someone here will read this and come up with a CD script that's both realistic AND entertaining? From what I've seen in my 60 years, that would make it the FIRST show in the history of TV like that!

[Amanda_P]

A couple years ago I saw this reality show where they took regular guys and made them into women. Now you have all these other reality shows that go year after year. Why not that one. It was great and the guys had professionals clothes and makeup. I would sign up in a minute.

[Amy A]

This is an interesting topic. I turned on the TV only yesterday afternoon and there was an old NCIS on (don't ever normally watch it, but needed a break from gardening!). The victim was a crossdresser, and there was another transexual character involved that they didn't really show. Throughout the episode the main regular characters uttered words like 'he-she' and 'freak'. It was kind of implied that the victim's crossdressing was a large part and/or symptom of the character's downward spiral.

There's a prevalence on TV to show TV/TS people as damaged in some way (or sometimes with crossdressing depicted as an aspect of a much more extreme character, eg serial killer). Or, as you say Heather, in a purely comedy aspect. In todays large esemble casts, would there not be room for a character that crossdresses? The journey that a lot of us are going through could make great drama if done well. It'd just be lovely to see the whole thing portrayed in a positive light, with a main character or main supporting character, who is successful, well adjusted, likeable and a big fan of summer dresses. A better representation of CDing in the media could speed up acceptance in mainstream society in a big way (and don't even get me started on the British tabloids view of TV/TS people!!).

[Vickie_CDTV]

The Drew Carey show had a full-fledged hetero TV as a character for some of the series later run. While his dressing was used for some comedic effect at times, the portrayal was pretty accurate of a TV all things considered.
On The Golden Girls, Sophia's son was a TV (though he was never shown, a later episode did feature his wife and his mother talking about the struggles over his dressing, and they were quite accurate.)

[Beverley Sims]

Very tempting for a million dollars.

[Kate Simmons]

Sounds good and most of us would probably go for it but really you need to put a bug in the ear of some Hollywood producers with an idea of situation that would inspire. Personally, I always thought something like a private investigator show like "Honey West" from the 1950's could showcase a CD adventuress. The only difference would be is the owner of the PI agency would operate in the field en femme. This was an actual plan of mine in real life that fell through.:)

[Jordan-NH]

Funny, I was thinking this same thing just a couple days ago. TV add came on for yet another new show with a gay man a the lead character and all I could think is how common gay and lesbian rolls are now but no CD. Guess we need to start poking the bee hive.

[Karren H]

You mean the crossdressing caveman in the current Gieco commercials isn't serious? I thought he looked seriously hot in that cheerleader uniform!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW-x07tPUtw&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFW-x07tPUtw&gl=US

[Ashley D.]

Denise David Duchovny part on twin peeks was a cross dresser kinde of serious role.

[Aloha Jayne]

The Drew Carey show had a full-fledged hetero TV as a character for some of the series later run. While his dressing was used for some comedic effect at times,


Wasn't this Craig Furguson of Late Late Show w/Craig Furguson?

[Jenniferathome]

Television does not try to make change in society. TV is a reflection of society at the moment. TV shows what it cane sell and no more. There would be hundred crossdressing shows if a big enough audience wanted to see it. We are too small a population to merit interest.

[Contessa]

Hi Heather

What I was trying to get at is will any of us do it. I could sure I could play a crossdressing hero. But there does not seem to be any TV people seems even in this forum. I mean that directors and or producers who are even thinking about your suggestion. The was only Ed Wood but I am not sure he is even around any more. My co-workers discussed it last year but have made no attempt to get any thing done. I will discuss it again with them. Or should I.

Tess

[Ressie]

There's no money in it, and television is a business. The talk shows of the '80s and '90s liked to sensationalize real life crossdressers, and I use to turn on the TV hoping Phil Donahue or Jenny Jones would have CDs on.

[BillieJoEllen]

A few years ago the soap opera 'All my Children' had a recurring role of a TS character that was played very seriously. Saw a few episodes but more than that I don't remember.

[ColleenA]

The Drew Carey show had a full-fledged hetero TV as a character for some of the series later run. While his dressing was used for some comedic effect at times, the portrayal was pretty accurate of a TV all things considered.

Thank you, Vickie, for the reminder.


Wasn't this Craig Ferguson of Late Late Show w/Craig Ferguson?

It was not Ferguson - he played Carey's boss. The character was Drew Carey's brother Steve, played by John Carroll Lynch, who has been in many movies, including "Fargo" and "Gran Torino."

At the time, I remember admiring the very fair and honest depiction, since it was an average guy with little hope of passing but who nonetheless didn't feel a need to be completely closeted. Meanwhile, his cross-dressing was just one part of his whole life, not THE defining element.

I also wondered, however, how such a storyline, minor though it was, could get into a mainstream TV show. I suspected someone with much influence in the show's production wanted it there. That then made me wonder if Drew Carey is a CDer himself and had the character/situation included, but as a "one-off" by making it about his fictional brother.

[xdressed]

The first episode of the 2nd series of Accused had Sean Bean as the main character portraying a crossdressing school teacher. He was gay but apart from that it was pretty accurate to how most of us are, and that was a 'very' serious show. Plus there are a lot of animes that have crossdressing characters, although they are mostly humorous there's plenty of more series stuff in there as well.

[Marie-Elise]

The first episode of the 2nd series of Accused had Sean Bean as the main character portraying a crossdressing school teacher. He was gay but apart from that it was pretty accurate to how most of us are, and that was a 'very' serious show. Plus there are a lot of animes that have crossdressing characters, although they are mostly humorous there's plenty of more series stuff in there as well.

I saw that episode and, yes, I think your comments are spot on. It would have been more interesting to me if his character was not gay.

[NicoleScott]

Crossdressing is extremely exciting for me. Other than that, I lead a rather boring life that nobody would pay to see (including me - haha).

[Madam Rose]

There have been plenty of CD in movies, sitcom, Anime, and more but I don't think we should have CDing in every thing. But I would like to see a romantic movie about a CD.

[Wildaboutheels]

If we are realistic...

The Civil War ended in 1865.

As Luck would have it [?] or Fate, Blacks [a very sizable percent of our population] did not get full Voting Rights till 1965.

100 YEARS.

Even today, nearly 150 years after the Civil War ended, we still have active Klu Klux Klan and many others who think Blacks should not even be ON the same bus as Whites much less be coralled to the back of the bus.

Today, more than ever money talks. Until MANY more CDers are willing to stop being afraid of what others might think of them and hit the streets in enough numbers to represent a significant portion of the population, I think it is highly unlikely you will ever see more than tiny bits and pieces of CDers represented on TV.

That is of course, unless and until someone can figure out a way of making money off such a character.

Not trying to be cynical or pessimistic, just the way I see it.

I think what would work/could work much better is for a show to take a "chance"with a major character - AFTER the audience falls in love with him/her - and slowly reveal in bits and pieces that CDing is PART of the particualr character and neither defines him or her nor detracts from all the good things that make him or her likable and unique.

[Marie-Elise]

If we are realistic...

I think what would work/could work much better is for a show to take a "chance"with a major character - AFTER the audience falls in love with him/her - and slowly reveal in bits and pieces that CDing is PART of the particualr character and neither defines him or her nor detracts from all the good things that make him or her likable and unique.

Kinda like happened in The Crying Game but more drawn out. I like it. Mind if I write it?

[Veronica27]

The storylines of most TV shows revolve around one of two aspects of the lives of the main characters. The first is their job and the second is their relationships with the other characters. Such things as their personal interests or idiosynchracies sometimes get mentioned, but it is mostly filler, smalltalk or referenced in conversations. It usually provides some of the humour or supplies some background to explain what is happening in the primary storyline. Crossdressing is usually too complex an issue to use as such a filler,and could possibly overpower the primary story, if it involves one of the main characters, because of the needed visual aspect of it. Homosexuality is now somewhat prevalent on many shows because it ties into one of the primary issues more easily, which is the relationship between the primary characters. Also, homosexuals represent a larger percentage of the population than crossdressers and their inclusion seems more logical.

Soap operas provided an ideal medium for the portrayal of crossdressing, as the story lines are ongoing for weeks on end, and the entire story does not have to be told in a half hour or hour segment as with most shows. I never saw the "All My Children" episodes mentioned, nor did I manage to catch the "Bunny" character on the old "Santa Barbara" show, because by the time I heard about it and began to tape the show, he had stopped dressing for a reason that I didn't hear explained. There was just a few references to what he used to do.

The British soap "Coronation Street" has had an ongoing MtF transexual for many years, but the part is played by a woman, and the character was not on the show prior to the transition. Unfortunaytely, soaps are going the way of the dodo.

Drew Carey's brother Steve was one of the best examples of a crossdressing character because he was ongoing for several seasons, appeared in either male or female mode for no obvious reason either way, was not one of the principal characters and was less quirky than the main characters. Despite some humour to his part, his was the most "normal" character in many ways. Also, near the end of the show he went into denial in order to marry Mimi, who was more of a "clown" than Steve ever was.

Veronica

[Gena Gurl]

I know most of you do not speak Spanish, but on the Spanish station Univision they have problably one of the best CD themed Telenovela (Spanish for Soap Opera) called "Por Ella soy EVA"(For her I am Eva). The long and short of it is that these realy macho Mexico City Exect. who only see women as eye candy(I can tell you you'll see some of the sexiest women on these Soap Operas) and treat them with no reapect at all. The main carecter is this nice womanising man that is accused of fraud and finaly falls in love with a single mother, but is forced to fake his own death in oeder to find out who framed him. A he tries to hide he meets this beautiful woman when he rents a room from her and she is a make-up artist to the stars and she sugjest that he dress as a woman to hide his identity. They actualy do a great job in turning him into a good looking woman. The good part of this soap is that he learns of what all the bad they used to do to women and he looks at men through the shoes of woman. It is a comedy, but unlike other CD depictions he's not the butt of all the jokes. Verry good and woth getting a translation of the show. Thanks Gena.

[Georgia_Maine]

Last season there was an episode of The Mentalist dealing with CD. It was a rather sensitive portrayal of the difficulties of being CD and it had a rather happy CD ending to a nasty 'murder' of a young man in a burning car.

Gigi

[xdressed]

Last season there was an episode of The Mentalist dealing with CD. It was a rather sensitive portrayal of the difficulties of being CD and it had a rather happy CD ending to a nasty 'murder' of a young man in a burning car.

Gigi

Is this season 4? I've just started watching the Mentalist again from the beginning but only have the first two series' on DVD and I think I'd remember this episode lol

[Helen_Highwater]

There was a short fly-on-ther-wall series onUK TV's channel4. It's available online
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/my-transsexual-summer/4od
It showed the lives of both MtF and FtM as they moved towards their new lives. While this strictly isn't about Cd'ers many of the social issues around gender roles are observed.

[xdressed]

There was a short fly-on-ther-wall series onUK TV's channel4. It's available online
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/my-transsexual-summer/4od
It showed the lives of both MtF and FtM as they moved towards their new lives. While this strictly isn't about Cd'ers many of the social issues around gender roles are observed.

Brilliant show, nearly made me cry at the end. I hope they do another series. Also found the promo for the Mentalist episode mentioned earlier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS0cYSuGvNk

[Eryn]

CDs appear on TV for various reasons:


To promote and satisfy prurient interest (reality shows)
To provide comic relief (Corporal Klinger, et. al.)
To further a plot (CDing as a disguise or perverse disorder)
To create discord (Wife/friends reaction to revelation)


Beyond that, CDers are really too boring to sell commercials.

Like in many situations, the gay community has led the way. Openly gay characters are relatively common on TV these days, but beyond the same reasons named above there is little reason to discuss sexual orientation at all. Gays are just folk like everyone else.

[Veronica27]

Beyond that, CDers are really too boring to sell commercials.

Like in many situations, the gay community has led the way. Openly gay characters are relatively common on TV these days, but beyond the same reasons named above there is little reason to discuss sexual orientation at all. Gays are just folk like everyone else.

A man in a dress provokes laughter to the masses most of the time,and can tend to get boring. Not too good for ratings and selling commercials. Two men, or two women, kissing or in bed tends more to shock, and therefore receives more attention or publicity, which is the name of the game. Also, the plots and sub plots usually involve romantic relationships and the gay factor provides both a relationship and the desired publicity and shock value. At least until they can reach a stage where these factors cease to be relevant. Crossdressing, on the other hand, tends to distract from most story lines, and seldom fits the plot.

Veronica

[Georgia_Maine]

Is this season 4? I've just started watching the Mentalist again from the beginning but only have the first two series' on DVD and I think I'd remember this episode lol

Yes, season 4, episode 21.

Gigi

[Jilmac]

Anyone remember the FOX network program called Boston Public? It was about a high school and day to day life of students and teachers. One episode centered on a male student who wanted to wear w dress to the prom. He took a lot of flack from fellow students and some teachers, but also got plenty of encouragement from others. On prom night he made a grand enterance in a floor length dress and joined in for an enjoyable night.

I think the script writers for that episode touched on the subject of crossdressing in everyday life and did it well. He wasn't presented as a buffoon or an over the top drag queen, just an average student who had a desire to promote his feminine side. I think if any network could pull off a serious show with a crossdressing theme, it would be FOX. Does anybody else remember that episode?

[MicheleCooper]

Personally if there was a show that touched or openly brought out cross dressing into mainstream, the easiest way would be taking a teen show where they have the lives of teenagers intertwined. Having a male character who not just faces the normal teen problems, but has to deal with wanting to dress like a female. Things some of us can relate to such as fear of being caught, dealing with family and friends, loneliness, sexuality, and how the teen gets his clothes (siblings, buys, or steals(this is a matter on its one as I do not want to portray CDs as being thieves, but just showing how far a person would go to get clothes without someone recognizing him)). Issues of him being beat up, bullied, or not being accepted would help to put him into a more sympathetic light, but having him have a sense of humor either with his friends or in female persona would make him likeable. Hope this made sense...

[Lady Slipper]

I recall an episode of House MD in which House brings a T-gurl on a double date with Wilson to stick it to him. Of course Houses plan back fires when it turns out both Wilsons date and the T-gurl grew up in the same town, much camaraderie ensues leaving House looking dejected . I thought the character was portrayed with respect for our community, too bad that seems to be a rairity in the mainstream media.

[Midari]

In fact, here's a whole big list of "Wholesome Crossdressers" presented by TVTropes. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WholesomeCrossdresser

Some of them are debatable choices, with a lot of "in this one episode/issue/etc a guy dressed as a girl for some reason", but there's actually a surprising number of examples. Of course, a lot of them are from anime and manga, as the Japanese seem to be a lot more willing to explore crossdressing in general.

[bridgetta]

every scene with bruce jenner.. if you know points to his crossdressing.. today i watched scott and bruce get a shave. there was a definite joke about it as they were walking in to the barbershop. then bruce got a facial as scott had a shave.. bruce does not have facial hair anymore. . so. its there.. fascinating.. looks like they are dealing with all the things we are dealing with. . i dont enjoy that show but i keep watching it because its there.. with all the marital problems they have i wouldnt be surprised if bruce transitions one day

[Kimberlyfaye]

I would agree that gay bounderies on TV have been pushed foward. It will take time for crossdressing to become more accepted on TV too. But it will happen.

Don't worry ladies, I'm working on it ;)

[reb.femme]

I would agree that gay bounderies on TV have been pushed foward. It will take time for crossdressing to become more accepted on TV too. But it will happen.

Don't worry ladies, I'm working on it ;)

And a new avatar every day too!
Cameras are an addiction you know young Kimberly :)

Reb

[StephanieJ]

The current season of Glee quite favorably portrays a cross-dressing youth played by Alex Newell (who, I'm pretty sure, is also a cross-dresser in real life.)

[Leslie Langford]

...It was not Ferguson - he played Carey's boss. The character was Drew Carey's brother Steve, played by John Carroll Lynch, who has been in many movies, including "Fargo" and "Gran Torino."

At the time, I remember admiring the very fair and honest depiction, since it was an average guy with little hope of passing but who nonetheless didn't feel a need to be completely closeted. Meanwhile, his cross-dressing was just one part of his whole life, not THE defining element.

I also wondered, however, how such a storyline, minor though it was, could get into a mainstream TV show. I suspected someone with much influence in the show's production wanted it there. That then made me wonder if Drew Carey is a CDer himself and had the character/situation included, but as a "one-off" by making it about his fictional brother...

True, Colleen - a sympathetic and accurate portrayal of a typical CDer initially, but then they had to go and mess it up my making Mimi into Steve's love interest, thereby pandering to the lowest common comedic denominator yet again.

Definite mixed signals there. Yes, it was admirable to show that hetero GG could be attracted to a CDer, but of all people, a freak show in her own right like Mimi??? :doh: :thumbsdn:

[Billiebluenose1878 GG]

Anyone heard of Paul O.Grady ... he had a charachter on tv called Lily Savage ... youtube it very funny guy xxxx

[Lainie]

Boston Legal had a regular character who was TG: a MTF who worked as a secretary and had serious issues with low self-esteem as a guy. LA Law had an episode about a gay teen (?) who crossdressers while hooking. Befriended a regular, but ended up being murdered.

The real breakthrough would be a character who just happened to CD, but that wasn't the main activity or theme, just a pastime like bowling or being a movie buff. Characters aren't often so 3dimensonal.

Is CD OUR defining characteristic, or just a sideline?

[Eryn]

I've been watching some Big Bang Theory DVDs (up to the end of Season 5) and I think that Raj character is pretty definitely one of us. It's been mentioned that he keeps a Lt. Uhuru uniform in his closet. When the entire group lost a bet and had to appear at the comic book store dressed as female superheroes Raj (dressed as Catwoman) exclaimed "I feel empowered!" He also stated, when his sexuality was questioned, "I like women, and their skin care products!"

[Ressie]

I remember an episode of Starsky & Hutch that had a villain crossdresser. The dresser was very passable and would make men weak with her female charms. Then she would karate kick them into submission! At the end there was a fight between her and S&H with the lady doing round house kicks!

[Saffron]

Don't you hate that all TS characters in the movies and tv series are always GG?


Of course, a lot of them are from anime and manga, as the Japanese seem to be a lot more willing to explore crossdressing in general.

You're right, there's hundreds of mangas and animes centered on CD or just with CD characters.

[Confetti]

Bosome Buddies, Love Boat so many guests hiding as women to get aboard, John Ritter threes Company,The office I mean there are sooo many if you pay attention. Even the king of Queens he donned a dress ...

[ColleenA]

Don't you hate that all TS characters in the movies and tv series are always GG?

Usually? Yes. Always? No.
One of John Lithgow's early roles was as a TS woman in "The World According to Garp."
And then, of course, there is "The Crying Game."

To name only two.

[Eryn]

John Ritter threes Company

Did he CD? IIRC, the gimmick was that he pretended to be gay so that the landlord would let him live with the two unmarried women.

[Mythic]

The first time I really saw anything about crossdressing on tv was when I saw an Eddie Izzard stand up special. Ofcourse I was shocked but I loved his comedy style and I really just saw him as a person. But I wish there would be serious roles in actual shows.

[Tara D. Rose]

Very tempting for a million dollars.

Absolutely Beverley. I didn't see the part about the million dollars. They could chronicle my cross dressing life all they want for a million bucks. They could come live with me and film me getting ready for bed, while I'm sleeping, film me getting up, film me taking a shower, getting ready to go shopping. Film me in the evening with my wife at a nice restaurant, film other diners comments of us out. Not much I wouldn't do for a mmmiiillliiioon dollars. All they would have to do is show me where to sign and what I need to do.

[mmandy31]

they had a show up here in canada called kink and it ran a series on a crossdresser in her real day to day life

[Tina B.]

One according to this site most of us are over 49 years old, TV does not care about our demographics, they are shooting for the 18 to 49 year old market. We don't have enough of us to make us big enough buyers of the junk they need to sale, and there is no prove the Vanilla sexed people would watch. and we need to remember, when gays first showed up on TV, they where used, to be laughed at, it took years before we got ones we where suppose to laugh with. And they got there by being out and open, not by hiding in the shadows, which even a lot of our sister that are out do. Few are out to the whole world. The gays have been beating on that door since the sixty's and had to beat it hard to get where they are at, the Transgendered have not. When your ready to get out there and stop traffic, and holler you have to listen, do sit ins and make a real fight of it, you can speed up the time line, but as long as you wait for them to give it to us, we will all just have to be patience. Anybody remember "I'm here and I'm queer" ?
Tina B.

[Confetti]

John Ritter had an episode to bake cookies(threes company) he was a mature woman who won with menthol cookies. on a love boat episode John Ritter pretends to be a female cabinmate to sneak on and win love

[Desiree2bababe]

I understand that a reality series covering the day to day life of male / female model Andrej Pejic is in the works. I hope so as he really makes a beautiful woman. Has dressed as a girl for fun since a little boy and his mother approves.