Written by Max Thornton.
It is, apparently, very difficult to put a good trans character in your TV show. Recent attempts at portraying trans men have tended to leave something to be desired. Max on The L Word perpetuated a number of troubling stereotypes about masculinity and trans men. Adam on Degrassi wound up being another in a long line of buried queers. I understand Cole on The Fosters is something of a bright spot in the trans televisual darkness, though I have not yet watched the show (I’ll report back once I have). And last week on Orphan Black, along came Tony.
Now my colleagues here at Bitch Flicks have written some great pieces on Orphan Black, drawing attention to some crucial feminist elements, from the expansive female character list to the commentary on reproductive rights. In season two, I have been particularly enjoying the camaraderie between the clones, the way that they google hangout together and claim each other as sisters.
And then Tony happened.
Here are the things I like about Tony:
His existence. Metatextually, it’s awesome to have another trans guy on TV. Narratively, it’s really intriguing. Once you think about it, the fact that there is now a trans clone and a gay clone strikes an important blow against “born this way” reductionism.
The way the other characters treated him. They were all down with his pronouns, were mildly surprised at having a male clone but didn’t make a huge deal out of it, and gave a little exposition that might catch the less-clued-in viewers up to speed without sensationalizing transness.
Here are the things I dislike about Tony:
His facial hair. The Max Sweeney School of Facepubes is not an institution anyone ever should be attending. I guess I can forgive the awful head-hair, because I’m given to understand a short-haired wig was unworkable with Maslany’s real hair, which she needs for the other parts, but the facial hair? Nope nope nope.
His characterization. Tatiana Maslany is a monumentally talented actress, playing multiple characters with nuance, and I really think this is her first misstep on the show. Her portrayal of Tony seemed undercooked compared to how thoroughly she inhabits the other clones. There was an air of trying too hard about Tony’s masculinity, something I would believe in the portrayal of a trans guy who was just coming out, but – in a guy who had begun transition as long ago as we were evidently meant to believe Tony did (contra The L Word, testosterone doesn’t make facepubes all grow in at once; I’m rising 16 months and can barely muster an outline of straggly pubescent scruff) – it rang false. Watching the other clones, I forget that I’m watching an actor act; with Tony, I was fully conscious of it the entire time.
This is unfortunate, because there’s already a terrible cultural misperception that trans people are faking it, acting, deceiving, putting it on. I don’t think this is helped by continuing to cast cis people of the wrong gender as trans characters (Daniela Sea on The L Word, Jordan Todosey on Degrassi, back to Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry, and that’s not even getting into the much longer and more offensive list of men playing trans women… thank God for Tom Phelan, at least).
A show about clones has pretty much the best possible justification for casting a cis woman as a trans man, but Maslany’s failure to really nail the character, as she does all the rest, kind of makes this portrayal seem like it belongs on that list.
Here is a thing I am still on the fence about:
The decision to show Tony injecting T. You could make an argument that it was a bit of gratuitous, othering exploitation; you could also make an argument that it was a normalizing teachable moment for your average non-trans-adjacent viewer. I haven’t decided yet which side I come down on.
In the end, I am glad Tony exists. He’s an important contributor to the still-tiny demographic of trans guys on TV, and the show didn’t get anything majorly wrong about transness (apart from the facepubes). Tony did not return in this week’s episode, but I hope he will be back on our screens in future, and I hope that next time around Tatiana Maslany will have nailed down the character and will play him more convincingly.
Max Thornton blogs at Gay Christian Geek, tumbles as trans substantial, and is slowly learning to twitter at @RainicornMax. He absolutely did not name himself after Max Sweeney.
The issue about characterization is a strange and complicated one,
because I feel like in some ways it is in danger of perpetuating the
idea that to successfully pass as trans* you have to flawlessly pass,
period. When I first watched the episode, I too was a little
underwhelmed by Maslany’s performance as Tony. But then it quickly
dawned on me that what I was partially critical of was the fact that she
didn’t fully seem to pass as male, and that I was over-watching her
performance precisely so that I could judge how well she did the
masculinity of the character (which is frankly a bit of a transphobic
impulse). When watching something like this, it is extremely difficult
to separate out judging Maslany’s performance as Tony, and judging the
attempt by a cis woman to pass as a man. I feel like wanting her
performance of Tony to read as ‘flawless’ is in some ways a potential perpetuation of the idea that trans* people always have to flawlessly pass in their gender the way most cis people do. Which is a dubious standard, to say the least.
This is not to suggest her performance CAN’T be criticized, merely that
it strongly runs the risk of idealizing gender passing within the trans*
community, and that’s something people should be careful about doing.
But there are trans men who are more masculine and aggressive. TV that tries to defy stereotypes often ends up disservicing reality in the name of political correctness. Jordan Gavaris has said as much in response to the outcry against his “stereotypical” gay man persona. I find Tony intriguing, and I think we’ll need more time to see how well he’s written.
And you’re right about the justification of a cis actor playing a trans character. This is the most justifiable case, and I respect Tatiana for meeting with trans men to prepare for the character.
I’d also reject the idea that Tony seems to be “trying too hard”. Tony looks a LOT like me (trans dude, 10 years post transition, definitely NOT newly out). Not physically, but how he handles things and how he moves through the world. He very much also resembles the cis dudes I know who are blue collar Midwesterners. He drinks, he smokes, he flirts. He’s aggressive and impulsive. That’s not trying too hard, that’s what it’s like living in the blue collar world in the Midwest. Is it possible you’re not considering Tony’s origins and just measuring against your own experiences? Tony behaves probably like the cis men around him do…as do most trans men I know. It’s unfair to say he should be something he’s not, just because you’re idea of what masculine looks like is more nuanced or subtle than his.
To say Maslany’s portrayal is lacking because that portrayal doesn’t look like you imagine trans men should? Seems a bit of a reach to me.
Have to agree with Rachel, as well. We naturally critique actors playing trans people for how well they are the “right kind” of masculine or feminine depending on the gender they’re playing (I fell into that trap for a while too). It perpetuates the idea that trans people must be a certain “right amount” of masculine or feminine to be “valid”. Trans men should have short hair, is a prime example (and one I really did step into the trap of, briefly). Screw that. Why should my gender be tied to someone else’s ideas of what is masculine or feminine?
Sorry, man. Gotta disagree with pretty much all of your commentary on his characterization. Just can’t fence this shit in.
Fair points nicely made, Dawson. I was aware as I was writing this piece that it probably deserved to have a big “Your Mileage May Vary” banner over the top of it, and I appreciate having an alternate opinion so politely expressed. It’s certainly not impossible that I’m judging this character unfairly, simply because there are so few trans men on TV that I want to be able to see myself in the ones that exist. And maybe if we get more Tony on the show, I’ll start to feel more comfortable with Maslany’s portrayal of him. Here’s hoping!
From a visual standpoint facial hair was used as a visual signifier for the audience. I’m not saying that I liked it but it is a way for them to communicate to the audience about Tony and in that way it certainly worked. It does mean each clone also has a visual signifier that makes it easier for the audience to pick them out and works in tandem with Maslany’s performance (Alison’s fringe, Helena’s hair, Rachel’s hair etc,). One again i’m not saying i liked it but I see reasons for its inclusion.