Do you think this gives us a bad reputation...does it offend you ?

Well the film was a fictional story in which there was no holding back on exagerated depictions of outrageous psychopathic behaviour. Think of all of the films in which police are depicted as violent and evil characters, though there are other films in which the cop is a good person. The point being that all sorts of people and people's sexual and lifestyle choices are used by Hollywood and novelists just to make a story entertaining and gripping. Not much that we croos dressers can do except make sure that our own behaviour is not offensive.

I thought that the film was well made and the acting was very good but I still came away feeling "slimed" and "used" in the sense that all the writer and director did was play to my basest instincts.

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Originally Posted by Jenniferathome

When was the last time anyone saw a cross dresser portrayed in a remotely positive way?

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The youngest son on "The Riches" (Eddie Izzard/Minnie Driver show from a few years back) was a fledgling crossdresser, and was portrayed in quite a positive light. The last episode of the seconds season (before FX axed a third season) saw the son being "caught" by a female classmate, who proceeded to help him dress. Of course, Izzard (who co-produced the show), was probably drawing from events in his own life, but I still thought it was pretty positive...

I'm quite a big fan of Silence of the Lambs and the Hannibal series in general, and while I don't find this scene offensive exactly I do strongly dislike the concept of the character. Buffalo Bill, Norman Bates and Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre are all 'crossdressing killers' (or in Buffalo Bills case, outright Transsexual) who were based on real life serial killer Ed Gein. Gein suffered from extreme psychosis and delusions, I believe there's a quote of his in American Psycho. "I see a pretty lady and two things go through my mind, part of me wants to take her to dinner and treat her real nice, the other part wonders what her head would like on a spoke". When his mother died his delusions became dramatically worse and he started killing and grave robbing in order to make a woman suit to become her. Norman Bates is the only killer of the three who suffers from the same kind of delusion and isn't presented as trans in someway, but in the other two are a mishmash of Ed Gein and the film makers misconceptions about Trans people. It kick started a long line of transgender or crossdressing killers in movie's such as Dressed to Kill and Insidious 2 and certainly reinforces the idea that we are all insane whether we are killers or not

No, not at all. IT'S A MOVIE. I am sure many folks who saw it may be forever turned off to CDers. The same people quite likely think if something, ANYthing is posted on the Internet, it has to be true. The same people are just as likely to think the US blew up the WTC and we also faked all the moon landings. Unfortunately many of these same folks will be Closed Minded and incapable of listening to reason or researching and digging out the facts on anything they can't or don't understand. The world is full of such clueless folks and I think it's best not to worry about what THEY think.

It's no different than some who participate here at this Forum and have very RIGID ideas and no amount if information readily available here in the form of pictures, threads and #s [displayed in various locations] is going to get them to change their minds about something.

Do I think it gives us a bad rep: surely - it's deliberately designed to play on the fears of what the vast majority of folk don't come in contact with and don't understand. Crikey! A lot of us don't really get what's going on with ourselves, no wonder joe public can't...
Does it offend me? No more than the stereotyping and persecution of any misunderstood minority for time immemorial... My feeling at the moment is that our community is so fragmented (perhaps with good reason) that we will wait a long time for any one individual to present as a positive role model and be accepted. Not to say I wouldn't applaud it - just think it's near impossible.
Interesting perspectives though... and weren't 8 tracks wonderful for cars? No need to ever juggle with the cartridge while driving - just endless music.. :heehee:
Kx

Hehe! That scene is one of my wife's favorites of all time and we both put the lotion on the skin! Can't really say anything else about it.

I don't know...it's just a movie/book. When I read the book that didn't even cross my mind. I just thought, wow this is super creepy. Any intelligent non-CD should know that we are not like that at all.

Looking back at the scene again, I found Buffalo Bob of Joe Dirt to be a light hearted take on the character. Also I did not view any shame, embarrassment, nor was offended by the Buffalo Bob portrayal. I guess I've grown to appreciate a little bit of stereotypical humor, the same way I can enjoy a movie like Don't Be a Menace To South Central While Sipping On Your Juice, Friday etc., without being offended at the portrayal of young black males in those flicks. "Woo Hoo! "Auto Trader Mag!"-Joe Dirt

I agree that it's a very very creepy depiction of a crossdresser, and also a very well known one; so it would probably colour the opinions of a few people to what we actually are.

I'm not offended by it though. "The Creepy Crossdresser" is definitely a thing in the CD world :heehee:

I think that some of the portrayals in the media do give us a bad reputation, but that is something that I do not have control over.

When I am dressed en femme what I try to do is to act in a manner that will give other people a positive image of us. If all of us individually make an effort to present a positive image we can change what people think of us.

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Originally Posted by Jenniferathome

When was the last time anyone saw a cross dresser portrayed in a remotely positive way?

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Ha, the closest I could get was "Ruby Rhod" from The Fifth Element...

If one spends anytime among the trans community outside of this forum, you know how sleazy things can get. Many people assume we do this for hookup sex. Some of us do, I know, but that doesn't describe me or most T people I know. Certain sisters give us a much darker image than a couple of thriller movies ever did.

Since the vast majority of CDers are closeted and enjoy full and normal lives as men then id say no this does not hurt the majority of CDers. For those who are out, the best thing you can do for the CDer cause is check with your wife or other honest GG that what your wearing is acceptable!

I echo Grace's sentiments When I am out and about I try to project a positive image of who I am.

Susan in Phoenix

Of all the murderers in movies and on television, the vast majority are non-crossdressers. So what if there are a few are crossdressers who carry out their evil intentions. Isn't that a reflection of real life? You don't think that there are no crossdressers who are also murderers, do you?

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Originally Posted by NicoleScott

Of all the murderers in movies and on television, the vast majority are non-crossdressers.

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faulty logic...compare the number of crossdressers who are heroes, someone you look up to, inspirations, even everyday life...vs the ones in movies who are criminals, clowns, or mentally troubled. Now look at non-crossers with the same criteria above. The majority of TGs in movies are there as someone to make fun of or fear. There are only a handful of movies where the TG is someone you really get to know or even have empathy toward.

The argument here is not so dissimilar to what was (still is in some cases) portrayed with people of color 50-60 years ago. Even in the 70's, some actors played the caricature in their minds to bring to struggle to a forefront, but it reinforced these stereotypes in the minds on many people. The cavalier "it isn't a big deal...so what" attitude insinuates that you approve of having levels of being human

good to see all these comments here...I have to agree about the positive role models....am I offended by the character...not at all its a movie......however..this is an image that people instantly connect with dressing...which is not cool... its the image....

Logic has nothing to do with it.
It's a movie, a story. Fact is, all kinds of people in real life do bad things. Do you want Hollywood to sanitize everything, so nobody gets offended?
If the killer had been a mechanic, would mechanics have a right to be offended?

Loved the movie "Silence of the Lambs". In some ways I see that I have similarities to BB. I like to put makeup on while looking in the mirror, but without the dancing. I live alone, but don't go out looking for large girls to kidnap.

Claris first refers to him as a transexual but later keeps calling him a transvestite. Does she not know the difference? Or did she surmise that he was not a TS, but in fact a TV?

Another point is, this wasn't a TG themed movie like Tootsie, Doubtfire, Transamerica, etc., but a movie about a deranged serial killer. (Two, counting Hannibal.) The first time seeing this movie I didn't know anything about the killer's secret life beforehand. So I think many people that saw this movie wouldn't watch gay or TG themed movies like brokeback mountain or Rocky horror. As a result, some people don't have many other ideas of what TG is. Yes, there are many that are ignorant of what's under the TG umbrella simply because they aren't interested. I'm not offended, but it bothers me.

I have the song Lotion by the Greenskeepers on my Iphone from the movie. That song always reminds me of the famous scene in Silence of the Lambs.

I think it is a terrible comparison for those of us who are crossdressers, transgender, or transsexual. It does NOT define us.

....same with Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It puts the lotion on it's skin...

No, I don't, and no it doesn't.

You don't have to be a transsexual to crossdress. I'm not a transsexual, I just enjoy looking like a girl. I'm a man, through and through.

No really but what does bother me is when I read a news story and they say one of the guys was dressed as a woman. Now I think that is just bad press.

Some very prominent people have been known to cd but I don't recall them being serial killers, I haven't had the urge today well not yet!

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Originally Posted by Ressie

Loved the movie "Silence of the Lambs". In some ways I see that I have similarities to BB. I like to put makeup on while looking in the mirror, but without the dancing. I live alone, but don't go out looking for large girls to kidnap.

Claris first refers to him as a transexual but later keeps calling him a transvestite. Does she not know the difference? Or did she surmise that he was not a TS, but in fact a TV?

Another point is, this wasn't a TG themed movie like Tootsie, Doubtfire, Transamerica, etc., but a movie about a deranged serial killer. (Two, counting Hannibal.) The first time seeing this movie I didn't know anything about the killer's secret life beforehand. So I think many people that saw this movie wouldn't watch gay or TG themed movies like brokeback mountain or Rocky horror. As a result, some people don't have many other ideas of what TG is. Yes, there are many that are ignorant of what's under the TG umbrella simply because they aren't interested. I'm not offended, but it bothers me.

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According to Wiki there's a deleted scene that clears this up a little bit

The film's screenplay omits Gumb's backstory, but does imply that he had a traumatic childhood. In the movie, Lecter summarizes Gumb's life thus: "Billy was not born a criminal, but made one by years of systematic abuse."
The film adaptation of Silence of the Lambs was criticized by some gay rights groups for its portrayal of the psychopathic Gumb as bisexual and transgender.[7] A Johns Hopkins sex-reassignment surgeon, present in the book but not the film (his scene was deleted and is found in bonus materials on the DVD), protests exactly the same thing; FBI Director Jack Crawford pacifies him by repeating that Gumb is not in fact transsexual, but merely believes himself to be. In the film, a similar scene is shown with Starling and Lecter in the same roles as the surgeon and Crawford, respectively. In the director's commentary for the 1991 film, director Jonathan Demme draws attention to various Polaroids taken of Buffalo Bill in the company of strippers; these are visible in Gumb's basement in the film.

These types of movies can make people get creeped out by seeing a Transexual serial killer so it doesn't help people's views on the subject but at the same time most folks know that it is a fictional movie and anybody that knows a CD knows that we are for the most part kind, caring, good citizens. I think LOL


What really kills things for the CD image are the real life freaks such as Col Russell Williams. Good thing was he might not have been a CD and was wearing those clothes like it was a trophy for him. I hated that bad press a few years back.