The Centre

running the roads

http://www.teni.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=1046

I think it's time to say that satirical, stereotypical depictions of trans people belongs in the past. RTE would not air a show that made joke's about people of ethnic minorities or any other minority that I can think of.

Yet they seem to think that trans people are fair game, just like Paddy Power and Meteor did a few years ago. Every day I battle against stereotype, against caricature media depictions, such as this one on RTE, and which we are all funding by our licence fee.

This needs to stop. RTE and all media outlets need to realise that it is NOT ok to make fun of trans people, who struggle every day against weird depictions and distorted stereotypes.People view me as a lesser and disturbed human being because of such, who is fair game for a laugh or worse at my expense. RTE in this show is perpetuating that image and such attitudes.

The only contact most Irish people will knowingly have with a 'trans' person is through what they see on television, which make's it all the more important that such depictions stop, and stop now.

If anyone does want to help, it would be useful if you could please forward a complaint to RTE and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland as outlined in the TENI link.

Shame on RTE, shame on whoever wrote the script and shame on all concerned with this transphobic and dangerous production.

It's not a victimless crime.

Karen

racso1975

Hi Karen

I would argue your initial point. The very person from the show depicts travellers in a comic light....I use that word comic very loosely mind.

While you have outlined very well in general what annoys you about it could you be more specific before I decide to lodge a complaint

running the roads

Certain groupings it could be argued, can take a hit, their position is not so vulnerable that they would suffer unduly.

Neither Trans people ,nor Travellers, nor Roma are such people.

There has to be limit's to comic freedom, there cannot be a complete free for all. Trans people are easy targets, and suffer through such targetting.

Again a person of African origin or a Muslim or someone on a wheelchair would not be targetted in such a way. The writer clearly thought it was ok to satirise trans people.

it's not and that message needs to be made clear. People suffer as a result.

Dr. Shrike

running the roads wrote: »

The only contact most Irish people will knowingly have with a 'trans' person is through what they see on television, which make's it all the more important that such depictions stop, and stop now.

That's arguably where the problem stems from. If I met anyone who didn't know a gay or lesbian person I'd be like WTF? But I don't think I properly know a single trans person. It's easier to make fun when people are out of the range of empathy.

eviltwin

I've no problem with comedy being a free for all, I don't think its appropriate that certain groups are off limits, there is comedy in everything. It needs to be in the right context though and I don't think we're quite ready to see trans people in this light just yet, not when we don't have any positive depictions to balance it out.

gazzer

running the roads wrote: »

Certain groupings it could be argued, can take a hit, their position is not so vulnerable that they would suffer unduly.

Neither Trans people ,nor Travellers, nor Roma are such people.

There has to be limit's to comic freedom, there cannot be a complete free for all. Trans people are easy targets, and suffer through such targetting.

Again a person of African origin or a Muslim or someone on a wheelchair would not be targetted in such a way. The writer clearly thought it was ok to satirise trans people.

it's not and that message needs to be made clear. People suffer as a result.

The muslim character was targetted in the show though. The main character had a go at her for all the different religions she had gone through and the manager of the centre mentioned that it was handy have a converted muslim in the centre so that they could get grants.

Also the traveller character was a massive stereotype. They talked about everything from massive communion dresses to how big of a carriage they should get for their communion. Also looking at the trailer for next week there is an overweight character who gets massively slagged.

Annasopra

gazzer wrote: »

The muslim character was targetted in the show though. The main character had a go at her for all the different religions she had gone through and the manager of the centre mentioned that it was handy have a converted muslim in the centre so that they could get grants.

Also the traveller character was a massive stereotype. They talked about everything from massive communion dresses to how big of a carriage they should get for their communion. Also looking at the trailer for next week there is an overweight character who gets massively slagged.

Agreed

I think the whole show was offensive towards women, lesbians, men, trans people, muslims, travellers and none of it was funny.

Annasopra

eviltwin wrote: »

I don't think we're quite ready to see trans people in this light just yet, not when we don't have any positive depictions to balance it out.

Seriously? Do you think we are living in the 1980s or something?

I've seen lots of positive media depictions of Irish trans people in the last few years.

hotmail.com

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Seriously? Do you think we are living in the 1980s or something?

I've seen lots of positive media depictions of Irish trans people in the last few years.

Eh where? Hayley Crooper doesn't count.

running the roads

http://t.co/fldJZRrWCy

It isn't just RTE that needs to make up, here's the link to a vile and totally untrue article in the Sunday Independent about 6 weeks ago. If ever there was appealing to the lowest common denominator this is it. While it may be true in this case, it is far from the norm. Despite obstacles, most trans people I know do work, many in business and education. There may be isolated incidents of sex work, isn't there in ever social grouping? but it is far from the norm.

Hayley Cropper was ok, intelligent, loved and accepted.

The Centre just reinforces sordid stereotypes,as does the Sunday Independent.

Annasopra

hotmail.com wrote: »

Eh where? Hayley Crooper doesn't count.

Well there have been a number of good positive media pieces in recent years on Rebecca de Havalland, Lydia Foy, Louise Hannon, Lynda Sheridan, Vanessa Lacey, Sam Blanckensee and his parents and Darrin Matthews and his Mother and Sister

www.independent.ie/irish-news/from-eamon-to-ross-and-finally-to-rebecca-26796090.html

www.rte.ie/tv/fleshandblood/lyndasheridan.html

www.rte.ie/tv/wouldyoubelieve/rebecca.html

www.briandowling.biz/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1307496759&archive=

www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/player.html?feedUrl=/radio1/doconone/atom/2991846.xml&play=true&position=169049.2970521542&volume=0.5

www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A20218281%3A4502%3A28-06-2013%3A

www.thefocustrust.com/2014/01/intersex-condition-radio-interview-rte-radio-1/

www.teni.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=606

www.rte.ie/radio1/the-john-murray-show/programmes/2011/1018/349832-2011-10-181/

eviltwin

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Seriously? Do you think we are living in the 1980s or something?

I've seen lots of positive media depictions of Irish trans people in the last few years.

Apart from real life cases, which to give RTE their due have been handled in a very sensitive manner, where are there any positive trans characters in drama? I can't think of any, not even on UK tv apart from the Corrie character.

Annasopra

eviltwin wrote: »

Where?

See above plus of course Hayley Cropper

ewan whose army

I feel stupid for paying my license fee when it went on to fund this ****

running the roads

Really you know I don't know how RTE think this is ok. I don't think the BBC would produce it. Feels like a throwback to the deeply racist 60's and 70's show's, where it was normal to poke fun at minorities.

Agreed there has been positive real life portrayals, Timara Lawless on the Late Late recently was very positive....

But still an awful lot of junk in the papers, the Indo and the Tabloids, of the which the Indo seems just a glorified form.

ewan whose army

running the roads wrote: »

Really you know I don't know how RTE think this is ok. I don't think the BBC would produce it. Feels like a throwback to the deeply racist 60's and 70's show's, where it was normal to poke fun at minorities.

Agreed there has been positive real life portrayals, Timara Lawless on the Late Late recently was very positive....

But still an awful lot of junk in the papers, the Indo and the Tabloids, of the which the Indo seems just a glorified form.

One thing I will say about the BBC they do have believable LGBT characters, like Yanto from Torchwood or that upcoming London Spy about a pair of gay spys in the cold war.

And there are people like Clare Balding being household names on the BBC which is good to see.

Although to RTE's credit the gay one from Mrs Brown's Boys did have a sweet storyline although that was coproduced

running the roads

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/222/532/099/demand-rte-immediately-scraps-the-comedy-the-centre-encouraging-abuse-of-transgender-people/

Jezek

I think anything is fair game if it's funny...but out-dated stereotypes about marginalised minority groups are almost never funny in 2014.