tw: transphobia, violence

Breaking my hiatus because I really want to put a trigger warning for the latest episode of #LovecraftCountry to my trans and enby fam. At the end of the episode, a two-spirit character is introduced in stereotypical "what are you" fashion.

I don't know enough about two-spirit identity to speak to the pronouns used, but the character is referred to as "she/her" throughout, so those are the pronouns I'll use also. Her voice is stolen within minutes, so that she can only scream/wail as a siren.

The episode ends with her throat being cut open. The story, to me, masks the violence of this transphobia by suggesting she was killed due to plot, but the violence still mirrored a lot of the violence we see against trans people today, and felt unnecessary.

As a Black person, it was especially hard and disappointing to watch because Lovecraft Country had become a safe space, to watch how careful and empowering the show has been with Black identity and history. It's impossible to ignore the symbol of a Black character…

…cutting open the throat of a trans person, and how this symbolizes the ongoing hatred and violence so many Black people in my community have towards me and my trans and enby family. I really, really hope the next episodes will rectify this somehow.

cw: genitalia

I'd like to add: as some have rightfully pointed out, two-spirit doesn't automatically mean trans or nonbinary for everyone; but in this case, I do think that her gender plays a major role in her treatment, as she's introduced naked, with breasts and a penis…

…and goes on to say that she is "woman, man, two spirit" referring to an identity, in my mind, of one that's connected to gender, or meant to be connected to gender as a choice by the writers.

The trans and nonbinary people I do know who identify as two spirit personally place two spirit under the trans and/or nonbinary umbrella, which is also why I've connected her to the trans/nonbinary identity, but I'd like to acknowledge that this isn't the case for everyone.

One last thought: several people have decided to focus on the idea that it's natural to ask "what are you" when she'd been a mummy seconds before, ignoring the history of how trans people have been asked this question in media. Her body's horror as a mummy…

…is connected to the "horror" of her human body's form, and it's clear that the question refers to her current body also. Check on the documentary "Disclosure" on Netflix for a perfect summary of how trans and nonbinary people are consistently asked this question, and why it's…

…wrong to replicate. The writers made a choice to show her as a monster, to have her transform into a naked body with breasts and a penis, to have someone ask "what are you" and for her response to almost immediately be "I am woman, man, two spirit."

It isn't just a coincidence. Also, I ask you to consider why you want to focus on the idea that this is a natural question to ask, while ignoring two other key pieces: the fact that her voice is literally stolen, and the fact that she's violently killed.

I'm placing this thread on mute now. (The fact that I've been blocking trolls who're replying to this thread all night is a good reminder of why I decided to take a step back from social media in the first place.) But thanks to everyone who has been sharing/amplifying/asking ?'s.