UPDATED with more info! =)

This is a long post, and one I plan to simply link to from now on when this question comes up, to make things simpler. There are two big questions I am often asked by trans people with aspirations for getting into entertainment media:

1. Why don’t trans roles go to trans actors?
2. How do I get work in the media?

A lot of people have asked, “why not a trans actress?” during the press for Transamerica, Soldier’s Girl and other things I’ve worked with or on. There are lots of answers, but the top two from me are explained below.

Why not a trans actress?

1. If I had my way, there would be one trained and experienced trans actor for every non-trans man or woman called in to audition for any part, not just trans roles. The best actor would be cast. (In LA we call anyone who acts an “actor”, instead of using “actor/actress")
2. Rather than simply complain, I resolve this issue within myself by choosing to work with the situation at hand. As things stand, saying “It should have been a transwoman!” is possibly true, but realistically it doesn’t do anything… it just doesn’t, unfortunately.

What will do something in the climate we have right now to improve opportunities for trans actors?

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The “Bad Questions” video is a humorous portrayal of a heightened version of me… an exaggerated expression of the fatigue and hurt I feel when asked these questions in real life. I am performing in this video as a comedian, and in comedy we often express truths through exaggeration. Being an activist and an artist leaves me walking a fine line between selflessness and creative expression, and sometimes I lean more one way than the other. In real life, I have always treated questioners with kindness, even when they hurt my feelings to the very core, like kittens who dig their needle claws into you without knowing what they’re doing. You only wince and try to dislodge them with minimum damage, you never hurt them back.

But there is a nugget of truth in what I say in this video. Regardless of how curious and genuine the questioner may be, regardless of how much they feel like they need to understand my situation, that still doesn’t make these questions less hurtful when asked. That is an essential, very important point that I should type twice, it’s so important. Regardless of how good the intentions of the questioner, these questions still hurt many trans people who are asked them.

I’ve had many people respond to this video by saying things like, “I just want to know! Isn’t that a good thing?” and “Aren’t questions a good thing?” Well, yes, it’s a good thing that people want to understand, and yes, having questions is a good thing. But (1) Most of these questions can be answered on the internet and (2) this video lays out questions asked in a specific hurtful way; it doesn’t say any and all questions are “bad”. If one listens to the video, they will see right away exactly *why* I feel like the questions mentioned are “bad”. I explain why in great detail for almost each one.

It boils down to appropriateness in most cases. These are deeply personal questions, and I am often asked them by complete strangers who are obviously suppressing a shudder of thrilled revulsion even as they ask. I believe that most everyone could make a list like this… Police officers, wheelchair users, scuba divers, people with Mohawks. Most everyone gets asked “dumb” questions about something or other on a fairly regular basis, but as trans people our proportion of this goes through the stratosphere.

As I say, it’s a comedic exaggeration of my feelings, but if you listen to what I’m saying, it really does explain why I might feel the way I do for each one. In real life, as you can see in my response video, I am the soul of kindness and understanding. But I wanted to lay a little honest anger out there, too. I feel like, after a decade of these questions, I deserve that bit of release.

Calpernia

I was recently asked to write an essay for the launch of the new http://www.matthewsplace.com website. This website is a project of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, dedicated to helping GLBT youth and erasing hate. You can read the essay here:
Calpernia’s Transition Essay: What I Wish I Had Known When I Began Transitioning

First, I would suggest you read or join the forums on our site at http://www.genderlife.com/forum . There are so many women there in various stages of dealing with the transition process with their family, friends and work… You will probably find a lot of information and support there. It is a wide range of people, though, and by no means perfect, but there is support and information to be found there.

Second, I suggest you look into http://www.tsroadmap.com for good basic information. If you have really searched your soul and decided that transitioning is right for you, then the younger you start, the better. I started not much older than you are now, when I was fresh out of the Navy and some college. For me, I had to decide that I wanted to be a woman whether I had on makeup or not, whether I had on a dress or grubby overalls, and whether I ever had a lover again or not. Being a woman had nothing to do with makeup, clothes, shoes, and sex — although those things are wonderful/fun side benefits of womanhood. For me, being a woman was just what I am, so I had to do it no matter what the consequences. 

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There are hardly any media companies that specifically court trans people. Depending on where you are in your transition, you can take a number of directions.

I’ll start by saying that right now, Deep Stealth is still in its early stages and we are still only bringing people on as independent contractors for specific jobs (ie: cinematographer for a particular film we’re making). Once that project is over, we part ways, though we remain friends with everyone we’ve worked with pretty much forever. Someday, I’d love to see us grow enough to bring on paid team members… Fingers crossed!

If you are very well integrated into life and society as female already, I would recommend seeking work at the best and largest company that will hire you, transsexuality be damned. Experience at CNN, ABC/NBC/CBS, etc is solid gold for when you move on to other companies that might suit your interests more, or start your own. I’m not saying you should be stealth, or not be stealth, or how you should choose to share your history—that’s your choice. True, complete stealth is a house of cards, in my opinion, but I like living my daily life without my trans past being the frontline issue of every waking moment, with every stranger and friend.

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I will be completely honest and upfront about the modeling industry as I understand it, and you can decide how this applies to your situation yourself. As I’ve learned here in Hollywood, the best teachers (like my acting teacher) are unflinchingly direct about the requirements of the business, because once we’re out there trying to get work, we can count on no mercy from the people who are hiring and firing.


* There will always be exceptions to the information below (“I know of this one model who started at 30 and had no teeth and she’s famous today...” etc) but by and large this is the way it works:

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