ABSTRACT

A complex cinematic history of trans characters precedes contemporary representations of trans people — one of normalizing trans identity through class, gender, and race. In the context of contemporary American cinema, Sean Baker’s Tangerine (2015) demonstrates alternative strategies for representing trans characters and marks a turning point in trans cinema. Tangerine presents a grittier version of transgender experience than was seen in mainstream trans films released during the mid-2010s. The film challenges victimization narratives and the pathologization of the trans body, appealing directly to trans audiences. Moreover, the film’s trans-affirmative casting advocates trans agency, while its depictions of state and individual violence systematically critique conventional trans tropes in earlier trans films. However, the film’s paratexts re-affirm some of the industrial patterns that continue to marginalise trans industry workers. Prominent reviews and interviews with the cast and crew spotlight the redirection of this trans film’s cultural and financial capital away from trans workers and toward industry elites. Ultimately, Tangerine signals a complex turning point in trans media, whereby media industries increasingly value trans performers and consultants for their capacity to legitimize trans media, but trans industry workers continue to remain vulnerable within these industries’ complex power dynamics.

摘要

跨性别角色的复杂电影历史先于跨性别者的当代表现——通过阶级、性别和种族使跨性别身份正常化。在当代美国电影的背景下，肖恩·贝克的《橘子》（2015）展示了代表跨性别角色的替代策略，标志着跨性别电影的转折点。柑橘与 2010 年代中期上映的主流跨性别电影相比，该片呈现了更加坚韧的跨性别经历。这部电影挑战了受害叙事和跨性别身体的病态化，直接吸引了跨性别观众。此外，这部电影的跨性别肯定演员阵容提倡跨性别机构，而其对国家和个人暴力的描述系统地批评了早期跨性别电影中的传统跨性别比喻。然而，影片的副文本再次证实了一些继续边缘化跨行业工人的工业模式。对演员和工作人员的著名评论和采访凸显了这部跨性别电影的文化和金融资本从跨性别工人转向行业精英的方向。最后是橘子标志着跨媒体的一个复杂的转折点，媒体行业越来越重视跨媒体表演者和顾问使跨媒体合法化的能力，但跨行业工人在这些行业复杂的权力动态中仍然处于弱势。