Singer-songwriter (and close personal friend of Out) Our Lady J just sent us an email about a petition that's currently circulating on the web. It appears The Hangover: Part II (which we haven't seen since we're too busy spending all of our paychecks on repeat visits to Bridesmaids) features several trans characters who -- surprise, surprise -- are portrayed in an incredibly insensitive and unfunny manner.
The petition reads in part:
In the movie The Hangover: Part II, the character of Stu discovers he has had sexual relations with a trans-woman. The joke of the scene is the reveal of a stripper as a pre-op M2F trans-person. The joke is not only lacking humor, it is offensive to the trans-community. The joke only works when it taps into the negative perception that trans-people are "gross", "weird," and sexually undesirable. In the film, the characters continuously try to block the experience from their mind, unsuccessfully as the character of Alan keeps mentioning references to the experience.
The trans-community has enough problems being seen as equals in society as it is. It is a struggle to avoid being beaten in McDonalds just for using a bathroom, it is a struggle to be seen as productive citizens rather than objects in the sex industry.
This letter is to the CEO of Warner Bros, Barry M. Meyer, and Susan Fleishman, VP of Communications, demanding an apology from Warner Bros. This type of joke at the expense of the trans-community prohibits the awareness that trans-people are members of society who contribute in all sorts of ways, and have healthy, loving lives with partners. The trans-community should be respected, because it has been a struggle to receive respect.
Head here to read the full petition and to slap your (electronic) John Hancock down on it.
Previously > The Joke's On Tracy Morgan
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