The Different Sides of Representation in "Disclosure"
One thing we analyzed in the past few weeks that struck me was the Disclosure documentary. Especially this quote from Susan Stryker: “We can’t think that just because you see trans representation, that the revolution is over… Having positive representation can only succeed in changing the conditions of life for trans people when it is part of a much broader movement for social change.” This quote and this section of the documentary were really impactful to me because it got me thinking about the different roles representation plays in our lives.
Representation is important for our social change in our everyday interactions because when people see positive portrayals of trans people in media, they’re more likely to be accepting of trans people in real life. As Yance Ford said in Disclosure, “we cannot be a better society until we see that better society.” However, this kind of social change doesn’t fix the broader political issues against trans people. For that to happen, the people watching these shows have to go a step beyond acceptance of the trans people in their lives and actually advocate for trans rights.
Another quote that struck me from Disclosure was when Chase Strangio said, “[It’s] especially important for us to be pushing for actual material redistribution. Otherwise, all we’re doing is elevating some people into the sphere of the powerful and not in any way working to disrupt the systems that exclude most trans people from material survival.” I think this quote really emphasizes the importance of real world policy change, because without it, in some cases representation of trans people leads to violence against trans people. Only changing representation is not only not the end goal, but it can also be potentially harmful.
The clips from Disclosure were really impactful to me, and it got me thinking about other sides of representation that I don’t think about very often. I’ll definitely be thinking about these things when I see shows with good trans representation.
I, too, was struck by the fact that those interviewed in Disclosure were well aware that their fame does not mean that all problems for trans people are instantly solved, especially with the distinction they made between trans people on the screen and those off the screen. They realize that although their representation is certainly a step in the right direction, there is so much more to be done.
ReplyDeleteI also had similar reactions to the specific moments that you mentioned about the documentary and wrote down some of the quotes you referenced. I thought it was really interesting how it was brought up by the interviewees that trans representation in the media can only do so much in reality, and even though certain stars may get a lot of fame, that individual success doesn't always reflect the rest of the trans community.
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