Netflix’s ‘Disclosure’ Gets Honest About The Evolution Of Trans Representation In Media
Representation in media is something that is often taken for granted.
Representation in media is crucial. Seeing positive examples of yourself reflected in media is something that many people don’t have. Representation in the media does more than offer a new storyline. It validates someone else’s life experience. Showing the transgender experience is the latest big push in Hollywood for a more accurate representation of the country.
Another benefit of accurate and diverse representation in media is being able to expose people to different people. According to a study by GLAAD, 80 percent of Americans claim not to know anyone who is trans. Documentaries like “Disclosure” and shows like “Orange Is the New Black” and “Pose” break that barrier.
As discussed in the trailer, the scope of trans visibility in media has increased exponentially in recent years. The landscape of television has changed tremendously and trans people are playing trans characters to tell trans stories.
One of the most celebrated examples of trans representation in mainstream media is FX’s “Pose.” The show is an unapologetic look at the lives of trans and queer people of color in the late 1980s and early 1990s New York City. It brings ballroom culture to an audience like never before. For one of the first times in history, people watching the show can see trans people of color leading the narrative about their experiences and history.
Before now, trans and queer people had few moments of representation in media and most are in a negative light. As you hear in the documentary, many of the trans actors have played trans characters but they are usually dead or the prostitute. It is a reflection of what society sees these people as and that message is transmitted to anyone who is watching the show.
You can now stream “Disclosure” on Netflix. The documentary is sure to change the way you see trans lives and trans representation in media.
