**Contains minor spoilers for the fifth season of The L Word. Read with caution**
I don’t usually use the opinion section of anything to complain about something on a television show. Well, there’s always a first for everything. Now don’t get me wrong. I truly enjoy The L Word, which is one of Showtime’s most popular shows. The writing is excellent, the character development is stellar, and the acting is beyond what you see on most television shows. There is only one problem with this show; one nagging, persistent problem. The one representation of a transgendered individual grossly misrepresents the community.
Don’t get me wrong. I know The L Word primarily focuses on lesbian couples and relationships. Considering most transgendered FTMs (Female to Males) at some point in their life believe they are lesbians it makes sense why the show would include the story of Max (portrayed by Daniela Sea), a confused individual who declares he is transgendered after dating one of the central characters on the show.
It’s kind of like the lesbians who just happened to be a part of another, former Showtime show, Queer as Folk, which was primarily about the relationships and lives of gay males. I can get the point that the writers of The L Word are trying to make. FTMs face different challenges than lesbians do. In fact, some are even oppressed by the gay and lesbian community. However, the way the story of Max is playing out grossly misrepresents those of us who actually are transgendered. In some ways, I can see why the lesbians don’t seem to take Max seriously!
Why do I care what happens to Max? The primary reason is because as someone who is technically transgendered (as I am a transitioning FTM though I identify as male) I don’t want the general public, who have no idea what being transgendered means or even what the term is, believing that this is what being transgendered is like. I’ve heard many who don’t know anyone who is transgendered say Max does a good job of portraying a transgendered individual. I’m here to tell you this is simply not true.
Thanks to the Internet, I’ve been able to connect and find support from many transgendered FTMs around the globe. I’ve heard their stories. They know mine. We share and learn from one another. I can tell you that Max represents a subset, an incredibly small minority of transgendered men. His path is unlike most of our paths and the inconsistencies can mean the difference between someone who is not transgendered understanding what those of us who are FTMs truly go through. Furthermore, we all know how misunderstanding can lead to further hatred and prejudice. So, I’m here to tell you how it really is.
When you are transgendered, it often takes quite a long time to admit it. Unless you do so during childhood, it can take nearly half a person’s life to admit that they are transgendered. I believe this is due in large part to the fact that transgenderism seems to be less accepted or understood then homosexuality. While the two are quite different (homosexuality deals with sexual orientation while transgenderism deals with gender) they are often lumped together. Despite the fact that it is believed that hormones during developmental stages while in utero may play a significant role in forming the mind of someone who is transgendered, there is still so much misunderstanding by the general public about transgenderism that it is, more often than not, viewed as unacceptable.
Note: It should be noted that transgenderism has nothing to do with sexual orientation. Transgendered individuals are not defining whether they are gay, straight, or otherwise. They are defining their need to be the opposite gender. The only known ‘cure’ for transgenderedism is transitioning (from the original gender to the gender the individual sees themselves as), which often includes SRS (sexual reassignment surgery).
The process of transition from one gender to another is quite specific. In fact, when it is done the right way, the transgendered individual follows the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders. These are very specific guidelines that ensure the individual who wishes to transition is of sound mind and excluding the gender dysphoria (the technical term for the gender identity disorder associated with transgenderism) the individual has no other problems, specifically those that affect the individual’s mental capacity. If, by some chance, the individual is deemed incompetent, the individual may be denied treatment. This is especially true for those who suffer from delusions or other mental conditions that may cause the individual to want to transition for unethical reasons.
On The L Word, Max uses illegal hormones for nearly a year. At a meeting for transgendered guys, he gets the number for a legitimate transgender specialist. He ends up getting on proper hormone treatments and in no time, he is approved for top surgery (removal of the breasts). In the meantime, there is no mention of Max seeing a therapist at all. This is perhaps one of the most unrealistic aspects of the show. First, no self-respecting doctor who follows the Harry Benjamin Code of Care will put someone who has not been mentally evaluated on hormones. Second, it takes some time to schedule surgery, not a few weeks as it appeared Max was going to the legitimate doctor and a few weeks later he managed to get in an appointment with a physician to get his top surgery done.
In the real world, the first appointment a transgendered guy makes (at least one who has done his homework and/or spoken to other transgendered guys) is with a therapist. In the majority of cases this is a psychologist or senior master social worker specializing in psychology. After seeing the therapist for at least three months, the therapist must determine whether the individual seeking to transition is truly suffering from gender dysphoria. Once this determination is made, the individual must take a letter of recommendation to a doctor who has experience with hormone replacement therapy. This doctor will do regular tests and determine what level and dosage of testosterone is ideal for the individual taking it. Testosterone will be taken for the individual’s entire life and will be given in varying doses over the years depending on each individual’s hormone levels.
On the testosterone, the individual’s voice will lower. Their body shape, facial structure, and overall look will become more masculine. Metabolism will increase, bones will thicken, and facial hair will develop. Other changes occur during the first few years on testosterone. It is after this that SRS is discussed. Most transgendered individuals do get top surgery, but not everyone is able to get bottom surgery. This may be because of health risks, weight issues (many doctors will not do the surgery for someone overweight due to the aesthetic nature of the surgery), or monetary reasons (bottom surgery is around $80,000 if you want the best surgeon in the industry).
There is a very specific path a transgendered individual takes. Max does not seem to follow this path. Furthermore, his wishy-washy nature is disheartening to watch. In the fourth season of The L Word Max is just as adamant about wanting to transition as he is in the third season. By the end, of the fourth, he has had a change of heart. The change is not gradual. It happens during the last few episodes, when Max finally finds acceptance from Grace, a lesbian he has hired to be his work assistant. After having sex with Grace, despite Max’s protestations he hates his body, he declares in the last episode that he isn’t sure he’ll be getting the top surgery. This may have to do with the fact that actress Daniela Sea is not really transgendered, but I still think with all the technology the industry has, this shouldn’t have been a factor.
While I’ve been given the chance to see a preview of the first four episodes of season five of The L Word I have come to dislike Max even more. Showtime’s website announces that Max has a new relationship with a gay man. While this is a radical change for the female-devoted Max, there is something he says that is even more annoying than his inability to determine who he is attracted to and what his sexual orientation is. Max happens to post a podcast on Alice’s lesbian hookup website, Our Chart that explains why he did not go through with his top surgery. This is one of the few spoilers I am going to reveal for season five, so listen up. His reason is because Grace likes to squeeze his breasts during sex and Max likes that. If he didn’t have breasts she couldn’t squeeze them. Of all the reasons to not have surgery, that is by far the dumbest I’ve ever heard.
While Max does mention the somewhat more acceptable reason, that you can lose nipple sensation, to his lesbian friends, he seems to slough over that reason in exchange for the one in his podcast. I’ve heard of people doing crazy things for sex, but this takes the cake. Furthermore, while I know that some men on T do have bisexual or homosexual desires (a desire to be with gay men), it is probably the biggest stereotype about transgendered guys that is actually inaccurate. Sure some guys are gay FTMs, but those of us who are straight FTMs do not wish to be thought of as something we’re not. It’s all about representing transgenderism accurately and The L Word isn’t doing that.
In truth, the vast majority of us know we are transgendered. We know we want hormones. We know if we want surgery and nothing, not even sex, is going to change our minds. If we’re following the Harry Benjamin Standard of Care I don’t believe Max would be approved due to his confused nature. He may not even decide to stay on hormones, at this rate. With the fate of Max so uncertain on The L Word, I can only hope another transgendered character shows up, this time allowing the writers the chance to show the world how difficult and arduous, yet necessary, the process of transitioning really is.
Technorati Tags: The L Word, Max, Daniela Sea, transgenderism, misrepresentation, Moira, transition, lesbian
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