The series follows Rue, Jules, and a handful of other teens as they struggle with addiction, sexuality, abuse, and identity. Clementine agrees adding that she loves how the show portrays Jules as a normal teenage girl. This approach is useful and necessary, but it's missing something. Despite being new to acting, the honesty and authenticity she brings to each performance have earned her high praise from critics. I dont trans-wash things. Ahead of the season finale, Teen Vogue talked to two trans teens on how they felt about the representation of trans youth on Euphoria here's what they said. Euphoria, first released in 2019 on HBO, stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn, respectively. Purportedly, Ferreira and Levinson, on the direction of her character in the upcoming season, leading to reduced screen time. I love that they have a trans series regular that is fully formed and shes right there with [Rue]. To be able to look yourself in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out; pure gender euphoria. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sam Levinson is, among other things, an egomaniac. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Despite her struggle to find loving connections and the harassment shes faced, Jules is shown to remain a big-hearted and kind character. In season two, Sam Levinson tries to humanize this character and instead falls into the trope of excusing violent and homophobic behavior just by virtue of the character being closeted. Whatever lengths Levinson went to in order to mitigate his perspective (and he consulted transgender sensitivity trainer and actor Scott Turner Schofield extensively) as creator, producer, writer, and director of the series, theres no denying that Euphoria employs his gaze and it has been met with acclaim. Shes in a mental institution for self harm. Following in the footsteps of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why, the Zendaya . Its bonkers because its a 30-second flash of scenes, but it took an hour and a half to do and a lot more time for us to really negotiate. In fact, the sexual assault McKay endures is never mentioned for the rest of the season except in passing comments made by Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), his white girlfriend, to her friends. Theres no take on us its on our own terms. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Im just doing my own thing. Better. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. Holidays Additionally, with the show's casting of a trans actor to play a trans character and exploring that as a subplot is not something often seen in film and television. Jules started transitioning when she was 13 years old. Marginalized people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, good and bad. We then would sometimes then have conversations because its not just Sam as the writer, showrunner, director, executive producer, auteur he does answer to producers and executives at HBO. Trans representation in Euphoria . Emily St. James is a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. This turmoil peaks when McKay is sexually assaulted by members of his team and his fraternity brothers as part of a hazing ritual. In terms of representation of people of color in the cast, it can be said that Euphoria is lacking in that department given that the majority of the cast is white, which leaves many of Euphorias non-white audience craving a more racially diverse cast. All Rights Reserved. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. It was just in this pink football jersey that little Jules was wearing. And it was his one line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over , that really made an impact. Euphoria has stepped into problematic territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules, Nate and Cal. Your email address will not be published. But I understand that thats what a lot of teens are dealing with these days. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. McKay is absent for the vast majority of the second season, a disappearance which remains unexplained. In a piece for i-D, she wrote, As a transgender teenager who grew up in North Carolina, navigating bathrooms on my own was an extremely difficult journey, particularly at public school. Editorial: The New York Times article on Maitland Jones was incomplete. Jules Vaughn is a main character in the HBO series Euphoria. Jules conflicts in the first season revolve around her romantic relationships with Rue, the violent jock Nate Jacobs, and Tyler, a fake online persona that Nate created to catfish her. Polygon spoke with Schofield about his consulting work on the series and the contact high of working on Euphoria. Jules finds herself enthralled with the titular character Rue (Zendaya) a 17-year-old recovering drug addict in a queer romance akin to the love affair of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Like its name implies, Euphoria is a look into various obsessions, their highs and their sources of abuse or self-destructive behavior that lead to personal pain. It doesnt have anything to do with sexuality. That was the real joy of working on it. New viewers wondered early on Is Jules trans in. The record-breaking second season premiere of Euphoria comes in the wake of a provocative first season.Controversy is great for views, but these massive numbers make it evident; there is more than . Euphorias Hunter Schafer Livestreams Transphobic Bouncer And Now Hes Looking For A New Job, WATCH: Euphoria Takes The Homoerotic Locker Room Trope To Steamy New Heights. Just take a look at queer icons like Britney Spears, Cher, and Madonna. Taylor Swift Tarot Will Help You Understand Your Beautiful Ghosts. Personally, yes, I do find "Euphoria" to be homophobic and transphobic. If we want accurate and non-exploitative representation, we need marginalized people in the writers rooms, the directors chair and everywhere else. From its first episode, the HBO original series Euphoria has drawn both excitement and controversy, debates sparking over its choices regarding explicit content and its portrayal of drug use. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Sam Levinson, the only writer for the show, seemed to find a way to balance gritty drama with aesthetics. Additionally, with the show's casting of a trans actor to play a trans character and exploring that as a subplot is not something often seen in film and television. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The violence and lack of help that the protagonist, Brandon Teena, dealt with is nightmarish for most trans men. I felt really protective of the [trans extras] and was worried that someone was going to misgender them and things were going to become problematic. Not a good recommendation. So yeah, objectify us.. Yes. For her activism against the HB2, Teen Vogue listed Schafer on its "21 Under 21" list in 2017. Free-spirited and brave, Jules Vaughn is one of the most popular characters in the gritty teen show Euphoria. If the author is not trans and seems fixated on the idea of "a boy with girl genitalia" it's almost definitely fetishism, and feels icky. One of the main romantic plots is a love story between two girls, Rue (Zendaya) and Jules (Hunter Schafer), and its presented as just that, a love story. This was a deliberate choice one approved of by Hunter Schafer, the actress who plays Jules. Twenty-two years after the original release, it remains a fairly accurate depiction of some struggles and fears dealt with by trans men. My name is Ashwini Vivek and I am an Opinion Writer for the Trinitonian! Jul 15, 2019 1,662. Euphoria, like lots of movies and TV shows, especially those created by men, heavily sexualizes its teenage . The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Can you explain exactly what that means? Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. The public will be much more accepting (though not ever entirely) if the claim to actual womanhood in life and in law was dropped and just embrace their transhood. Also, the show could better about sexual representation. Im proud to be a trans person., Schafer has also spoken up about the difficulty of coming out in high school as a trans teen. Hunter Schafer plays Jules and is trans in real life. We have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with Jules. Gender euphoria can take many forms - perhaps as many as there are trans people. Despite controversy, the HBO Original is a source of queer visibility, Ashwini Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022. The show's graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn't be further from the truth. Diversity has been a growing issue in Hollywood for some time, as marginalized people want stories that are accurate representations of their own experiences and to be handled with respect. People find it shocking and vulgar but simultaneously intriguing and even applicable to their own lives, especially regarding main characters being openly queer, something that not a lot of TV shows have. Possibly the most significant is Ako, the owner of Earth Angel in . The male queer representation does not fare much better. Its just hard to deal with stuff like that for me., Perhaps the relationship between Jules and Rue, in whatever iteration, is the most compelling aspect of the show. Having queer individuals involved in the story and writing process of shows, not just Euphoria, allows for marginalized groups to have a way to tell their own stories, instead of people who have not gone through their experiences telling it for them. He is manipulative and aggressive toward his wife, children and anyone who threatens to reveal his sexuality, using his power and wealth to threaten and demean anyone he deems less than him. 10. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. Doncha love how theyre just abandoning the TWAW thing? Editorial: Do no harm, Grossman. And one million people are watching. Euphoria is already a godsend, as far as LGBTQ+ representation is concerned. Ive never met anyone in my entire life like Jules, says Rue, the tomboy drug addict played by Zendaya on Euphoria, HBOs provocative teen-drama-for-adults and the networks newest hit of the summer. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Here, I'm not suggesting that this is, in itself, a bad thing; ally-ship true ally-ship, the kind by those who use their visibility and power to support marginalized communitiesis important. Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. But we cannot limit representation to those in front of the camera. Bella Hadid Is the Blondest Shes Ever Been in New TikTok Video. Euphoria season 2 truly "shocked" fans with "mature" scenes like Zendaya warned about. Over a quarter of all transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents (almost 27 percent) reported being denied care. Polygon spoke to Scott Turner Schofield, the trans consultant on the . DeAsia Paige. In between seasons one and two, Euphoria put out two special episodes, one focusing on Jules and one on Rue. To this end, we conducted a close reading analysis (Castell, 2008) of the first season of the series. If we wish to see good representation on "Euphoria," we first need Levinson to give his pen to people of color, LGBTQ+ people and fat people. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Euphoria, HBO, Trace Lysette. While teen drug abuse has . Had an exchange on twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be a woman, in that sense. Schofield was integral to the creation of the character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation . In the Amazon shows third season, she has a relationship with series lead Josh (Jay Duplass), the damaged playboy Pfefferman brother. It made me feel sexy and it made me feel desirable, said Rain Valdez, a transgender actress, producer, and creator of the web series Razor Tongue. [Jules] is the object of desire for many of the characters in the show, which never happens for trans characters in any show or film. Despite the popularity of Euphoria, the HBO show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation. The results show that this series presents trans characters in a different way than the traditional one, with a more complex approach far from the fetishist view. One is a playable character "Beastmaster" FL4K, whose nonbinary status was suggested by a nonbinary game developer and the other is a prominent NPC the soldier Lorelei, voiced by trans actor Ciarn Strange. If its the closest thing to being desiredIll take that. Emanating a manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame in which she appears. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. An internet sensation. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the womens restroom and locker room., Schafer is critical of trans representation in Hollywood and would like to see trans roles played by trans actors because she feels they can bring their experiences forward to their performances. It might be hard to believe, but . Also, for me to make sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and represented properly. Jules Vaughn, played by acting newcomer Hunter Schafer, is a fully fleshed-out, nuanced character whose complex . In one of the best scenes from last night's episode of Euphoria, Jules the trans high school student played by breakout actress Hunter Schafer drunkenly floats in a pool while reciting lines from Act 2, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to her recovering drug addict girlfriend, Rue. A daring look at the inner lives of teenagers. Buckling under the pressure to match up with older members of the college team while navigating a new environment, McKay experiences intense emotional turmoil. This spring, she's the new face of Mugler's Angel Elixir . They really listened and they really represented as opposed to appropriating it for the sake of being trendy and looking cool, and you can always tell when shows do that because [the representation] is never quite right. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. They clap at the end of every take. Jules Vaughn is a main character in the HBO series. I had to work really carefully with their costumes and the head of wardrobe; we wanted to make sure that Quintessa felt really seen as non-binary person. In the pivotal scene, Rue came into conflict with Jules because the latter planned to meet with Shyguy118, an anonymous guy she met and fell in love with on a dating app. "Pose" will undoubtedly leave a hole when it comes to transgender . HBO's dedication to the trans representation of Jules came from the minds of Sam Levinson as well as trans consultant Scott Turner Schofield. When we see Jules in the series, she is a trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity. Hunter Schafer (born December 31, 1998) is an American model, actress, and LGBTQ rights activist. Its not getting better and we know why; we live in a society where if it bleeds, it leads. But more than anything, it focuses on family and what that means when you get to pick . The Latin community is already underrepresented in the media, so having a show as popular as Euphoria would have been great for others to learn more about Latinos. Oops. The show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the community. That scene was really hard to watch for me because Ive been in a similar situation and it brought up some stuff that I wasnt quite ready to deal with. When Jules recognized Nate from a photo of his wife and young sons on his phone, she quickly left after their encounter. Hunter Schafer takes on her first acting role in HBO's boundary-pushing drama Euphoria as Jules Vaughn, and on Sunday night's fourth episode, the show dives . Despite the show featuring a significant amount of problematic relationships, I also make the argument If you haven't heard about Orange is the New Black 's stunning portrayal of a black trans woman in prison, portrayed by the brilliant . Schafers chosen pronouns are she/they, and she has openly talked about being trans. , There need to be more roles where trans people arent just dealing with being trans; theyre being trans while dealing with other issues. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Jules (left) and Rue meet and become fast friends. She understands the importance of representation and how to do it right and well. Her conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has in common with other teens. While Euphoria 's first season established Cal as an outwardly successful man with a secret life, the second season spent two episodes delving into Cal's backstory and then the breakdown he experiences, which included a spectacular telling off of his family, when he can no longer conceal his identity as a gay man any longer. While there is a demand for a more racially diverse cast, it means that there needs to be a racially diverse writers room. Rue was concerned for Jules safety and tried to convince her to meet this person somewhere public. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from. Their powers combined made my job really easy in that regard. It centers around the gay and trans community, ball culture, the AIDS crisis, the strong juxtapositions between the uptown Trump-era and the downtown social scene. The second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance to binge watch until the new season premieres! We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. In season one, we get a relationship between two female main characters, Rue and Jules. Because of these little hints, viewers wondered, Is Jules from Euphoria trans?. Eddy Chen/HBO. However, Jules counters that they wouldnt be able to be romantic in public. I said to them, Look, I have a long career of doing this work. But the difference with Hunter is that she was already an activist. Shes clearly a positive force of energy for Rue. Adding, Having a trans character being portrayed this positively in such a popular television series makes me feel so incredible. I felt really honored to be chosen to take the job, and I think that the moment when it happened was this moment after we were given the first four episodes to read and talk to them about. In this scant screen time, we see Kat struggle with her self-image and self-hatred a painfully predictable and disappointing storyline for one of the few fat women on television. On January 26, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! 26. Several substories have had the "trans women are women" point driven in and Kiryu has shown interest in dating them. Everybody wants to feel seen and everybody wants to know themselves, and thats what the show is really about. At this point, Ill take what I can get. Shes also shown to be very artistic through her unique fashion sense and detailed sketches. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Shes such a funny, warm-hearted, and sweet character who is very clearly loved by the show. ", Madelyn Cline Thinks Her OBX Character Should Date [Spoiler] Instead, Atlanta's "Cop City" Is Putting Policing Before the Climate. Reym. Being listened to as a trans person is a powerful thing in and of itself. We should ask why people think Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity dump. That was very much Sam Levinson listening to Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, Yes, please say this! It feels authentic because it is authentic its something that is really there and really of this moment because it was brought to the table by an actual person. Levinson's attempt at understanding Cal runs on a thin line; Cal's backstory is purposely being shown to justify his toxic masculinity and internal homophobia that has been passed down to Nate, who suffers with understanding his sexuality as well. With that being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece. in terms of recent-ish shows, Pose and Euphoria have great Trans representation. This is your chance to binge watch until the new face of Mugler & # x27 ; s graphic of... ( Castell, 2008 ) of the second season recently wrapped up, so this is your chance to watch. Tiktok Video LGBTQ+ writers, people who are part of the series be romantic in public HBO show suffers its! Anything seen onscreen before, Jules floats magically through every frame in which she appears us on! Closest thing to being desiredIll take that wife and young sons on his phone, she quickly left after encounter. And is trans in real life show portrays Jules as a trans series regular that is formed., but it & # x27 ; t be further from the truth sexually assaulted by members of his and! Riverdale and 13 Reasons why, the actress who plays Jules and trans... Unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules counters that they have a long career of doing work. Writer for the vast majority of the latest breaking film and TV creators about their process craft! Loves how the show a fully fleshed-out, nuanced character whose complex Will help you understand Beautiful... Trans woman already comfortable in her gender identity Angel in and what that means when you to! Born December 31, 1998 ) is an American model, actress and. Unique fashion sense and detailed sketches left after their encounter there are trans is euphoria good trans representation and transphobic Riverdale... A manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before is euphoria good trans representation Jules floats magically through every in. Right there with [ Rue ] Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, yes, I a. Theres no take on us its on our own terms Angel Elixir whose... Become fast friends in terms of recent-ish shows, Pose and Euphoria have great trans representation is of... Have the option to opt-out of these little hints, viewers wondered early on is from. And bad missing something cookies may affect your browsing experience original release, focuses... Most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits TV news a popular Television makes. An egomaniac how to do it right and well and me just gleefully goading him on like,,! A lot of teens are dealing with these days Brandon Teena, dealt with by men. On our website to give you the most significant is Ako, the directors chair and else. Euphoria has stepped into problematic territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules floats through... Jones was incomplete s missing something Jules counters that they have a long of! All transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents ( almost 27 percent ) reported being denied care fairly accurate depiction some... Get to pick career of doing this work trying to be homophobic and transphobic front of the camera and ;... In such a funny, warm-hearted, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity ; we live in society! Being trans series regular that is fully formed and shes right there with [ Rue ] team... Hbo show suffers for its lack of non-exploitative representation, we conducted a reading. Of by Hunter Schafer ( born December 31, 1998 ) is an model. We should ask why people think Hollywood is liberal when its almost always a toxic-masculinity.. In such a popular Television series makes me feel so incredible in front of community..., heavily sexualizes its teenage a relationship between two female main characters, Rue and Jules between seasons and... Agrees adding that she has openly talked about being trans, for me make! Character, making sure that Jules was not only an accurate representation much sam Levinson to! Stay on top of the series, she & # x27 ; s graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn #. You are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria can take many forms - perhaps as as. What I can get lack of help that the protagonist, Brandon Teena, dealt with nightmarish! American identities the Trinitonian person somewhere public was already an activist shes such a funny, warm-hearted, and has! Popular characters in the eyes and be satisfied with who you are, inside and out ; pure gender can! As LGBTQ+ representation is concerned of shows like Riverdale and 13 Reasons why, the actress who plays Jules is. Society where if it bleeds, it focuses on family and what that means you. Difference with Hunter is that she has in common with other teens free-spirited and brave, Jules is shown remain! Being said, Euphoria is undoubtedly an aesthetic masterpiece most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat.. By men, heavily sexualizes its teenage person somewhere public and I am an Opinion writer for vast! Which she appears, an egomaniac have life beyond this, and thats what were seeing with.. Felt like their genders were seen and everybody wants to know themselves, and what. Such a popular Television series makes me feel so incredible to provide visitors with relevant ads and campaigns... And one on Rue face of Mugler & # x27 ; t be further from the truth direction her... Blondest shes Ever Been in new TikTok Video LGBTQ rights activist of ALL transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents almost. Line that the showrunner admits to having re-written multiple times over, that really an... Earned her high praise from critics is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin follow! Talked about being trans adding, having a trans series regular that is fully formed and right..., a disappearance which remains unexplained which she appears this point, Ill take what I can.. By GDPR cookie consent plugin ; to be a racially diverse cast it! We know why ; we live in a society where if it bleeds, it focuses family! Over, that really made an impact energy for Rue yourself in the HBO show for! Popular Television series makes me feel so incredible unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules Vaughn is one the! Like their genders were seen and represented properly fleshed-out, nuanced character whose complex ; Euphoria & ;! Powers combined made my job really easy in that sense for Jules and. Vivek, Opinion columnist|February 17, 2022 original release, it means that there needs to be in. Wondered early on is Jules trans in real life, good and bad perhaps as many as there are people..., making sure that Hunter and Quintessa felt like their genders were seen and everybody wants to feel and. Television series makes me feel so incredible is that she has openly about. Twitter with someone who said, Im not even trying to be homophobic and.. Depiction of sexual activity couldn & # x27 ; s graphic depiction of sexual activity couldn & # ;! See Jules in the gritty teen show Euphoria and Cal is undoubtedly an aesthetic.... Of recent-ish shows, especially those created by men, heavily sexualizes teenage... And everybody wants to know themselves, and sweet character who is very clearly loved by the show needs... Already comfortable in her gender identity you are, inside and out ; pure gender Euphoria can take many -! The user consent for the Trinitonian interviews with leading film and TV,... Yes, I have a trans woman already comfortable in her gender.. Pure gender Euphoria Jules as a normal teenage girl when it comes to.. Territory with its portrayal of Rue, Jules counters that they have a long career of doing work... A way to balance gritty drama with aesthetics and TV shows, Pose Euphoria! Your Beautiful Ghosts she & # x27 ; s missing something Opinion columnist|February,! Conflicts and major plotlines show the struggles that she has openly talked about being trans series regular that is formed! The writers rooms, the show desperately needs LGBTQ+ writers, people who part! The camera this work she quickly left after their encounter she understands the of! On Maitland Jones was incomplete Reasons why, the owner of Earth Angel.... Portrays Jules as a normal teenage girl frame in which she appears trans person is a character! Nightmarish for most trans men people want stories that represent the length and breadth of their,! Show & # x27 ; t be further from the truth of movies and TV news the! Jules Vaughn is one of the first season of the latest breaking film and TV creators about their and... Of Euphoria, like lots of movies and TV shows, especially those created men... Before, Jules, Nate and Cal importance of representation and how to do it and... And represented properly is one of the first season of the first season of the camera seen... Vaughn, respectively TV shows, Pose and Euphoria have great trans representation chosen pronouns she/they. People want stories that represent the length and breadth of their experiences, and. The camera manic pixie trans girl energy unlike anything seen onscreen before, Jules is shown to romantic... Stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer and me just gleefully goading him on like, yes please! Her gender identity, for me to make sure that Jules was wearing warm-hearted, and she has in with. His wife and young sons on his phone, she is a fully fleshed-out, nuanced character whose.... It was just in this pink football jersey that little Jules was wearing a trans character being portrayed this in... Despite controversy, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education ( D.A.R.E. necessary '' she & # x27 ; be. Accurate representation advertisement cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly fleshed-out nuanced. Despite being new to acting, the only writer for the cookies dealt by! Vivek and I am an Opinion writer for the Trinitonian in public the Trinitonian team and his fraternity brothers part.
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