Zoolander 2 deemed “transphobic”

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 02:46AM #1

A petition has been started to boycott the comedy film Zoolander 2 on the basis that it is “transphobic”, comparing it to “blackface”. At the time of posting, the petition had over 7,300 signatories.

In the trailer for the upcoming film, an androgynous character, played by Benedict Cumbatch (with long hair) is asked by Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) if he is “a male or female model”, with the follow up question, whether or not he has “a hotdog or a bun”.

According the petition,

Cumberbatch’s character is clearly portrayed as an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals. This is the modern equivalent of using blackface to represent a minority.

If the producers and screenwriters of Zoolander wanted to provide social commentary on the presence of trans/androgyne individuals in the fashion industry, they could have approached models like Andreja Pejic to be in the film. By hiring a cis actor to play a non-binary individual in a clearly negative way, they film endorses harmful and dangerous perceptions of the queer community at large.

What do people think?

Are people like this being a bit over-sensitive? Should they wait until the film is released and available to watch in full before they pass judgement, rather than base it on the trailer? Or do they have a point?

https://twitter.com/Care2/status/667083027235803136

Jim Bob Scratcher · 22-11-2015 02:49AM

People must have very little going on in their lives if this offends them.

The Sidewards Man · 22-11-2015 02:50AM

What do you think op?

Azalea · 22-11-2015 02:56AM

Why is offence only being taken about such characters now? They've appeared in a number of films and television shows down through the years. "Phobic" in this case means there's an intention to be hateful - that's hardly the case here.

readyletsgo · 22-11-2015 03:07AM

As a bi man all I can say is, ugh, people have way too much time on their hands!

It's Zoolander! he's a model, idiot?

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 03:08AM

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

What do you think op?

The journalist Glenn Greewald wrote, of the film Zero Dark Thirty, “the film is now garnering a pile of top awards and virtually uniform rave reviews. What makes this so remarkable is that, by most accounts, the film glorifies torture by claiming - falsely - that waterboarding and other forms of coercive interrogation tactics were crucial, even indispensable in finding bin Laden...

A large Hollywood studio would never dare make a film about the episode which is America's greatest source of collective self-esteem and jingoistic pride without clinging tightly to patriotic orthodoxies...

I don't believe that this film is being so well-received despite its glorification of American torture. It's more accurate to say it's so admired because of this.”

It turned out Greenwald hadn't seen the film yet, which makes his comments on the film somewhat redundant.

I say, wait until you see a film before passing judgement.

Deep Six · 22-11-2015 03:13AM

I wish people would get a thicker skin and even the slightest ****ing grip on reality. This ultra PC mindset is pathetic. You're either proud of what you are and able to see the humour in a situation (regardless of topic) or you are just parading a pseudo-identity with the backbone of a snail.

Riddle101 · 22-11-2015 03:14AM

Looks like some people are taken it too seriously. On the otherhand, this will probably just add more publicity to the movie, just like when there was a cyber threat made just before the movie The Interview was released. I don't think anybody really cared all that much about that film before the cyber threats were made.

As for the OP. It sucks really. Comedy isn't the same as it used to be, with all this political correctness now.

fonecrusher1 · 22-11-2015 03:18AM

Dear god. What an utterly pointless thread. Talk about a non-issue.

:pac:

TheLastMohican · 22-11-2015 03:18AM

Again, PC gone haywire. And sad bastards with little in their lives ....... getting a bit of attention.

batistuta9 · 22-11-2015 03:27AM

Deep Six wrote: »

I wish people would get a thicker skin and even the slightest ****ing grip on reality. This ultra PC mindset is pathetic. You're either proud of what you are and able to see the humour in a situation (regardless of topic) or you are just parading a pseudo-identity with the backbone of a snail.

i think a lot of these types like to be seen as 'fighting for a cause' & getting some kind of 'win'

seen the trailer, I'd boycott it because it looks shít.

J. Marston · 22-11-2015 03:31AM

Non-binary? That's a new one.

22-11-2015 03:32AM

No seriously f*ck off with this. Can we at least agree to leave the transphobic stuff in 2015 please? Everyone just be what you want to be and don't bother yourself with what and who other people want to be if it doesn't concern you. Let's all just agree to hate ISIS, they're very bold.

Bulbous Salutation · 22-11-2015 03:32AM

Is it funny? Not enough funny stuff these days.

Lights On · 22-11-2015 03:39AM

This thread is very PCphobic imo. You would want to cut it out lads.

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 03:55AM

Lights On wrote: »

You would want to cut it out lads.

Not a genitalia-based pun, I hope...

DareGod · 22-11-2015 04:12AM

Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »

People must have very little going on in their lives if this offends them.

Haven't you ever visited the internet before? People do have very little going on in their lives.

NachoBusiness · 22-11-2015 04:19AM

More and more people are getting sick to death of these militant trans activists.

They even unbelievably accused Jared Leto of transmisogyny because of the role he played in Dallas Buyer's Club.

There's a new movie coming out called Stonewall and it has had a petition started to boycott it by a well known trans activist.

Their attitude is starting to grate with even the gay community and has resulted in one man starting a campaign to 'Drop the T' from LGBT.

hatrickpatrick · 22-11-2015 04:37AM

Lights On wrote: »

This thread is very PCphobic imo. You would want to cut it out lads.

Your post is an example of troll-shaming, bro. Check your cishet privilege, sh!tlord.

In all seriousness, if people doubt the utter lunacy of these SJW f*ckers they should take a gander at the collection of forums where most of these campaigns originate - Reddit's sh!tredditsays, srsdiscussion, circlebroke2 and socialjustice101 sections.

My only hope for humanity is that those who post on these forums are in fact highly dedicated trolls who are deliberately winding people up, as opposed to people who actually support the repressive crap they propose.

Optimalprimerib · 22-11-2015 05:48AM

I have to say, when i saw the trailer, this thought did come into my head. This is very topical at the moment where people are tripping over themselves to be seen as tolerant towards all genders natural, or fabricated.

To make a joke about it could be in bad taste. This is not my personal opinion, it doesnt bother me, but i knew it would bother others.

tommyboy2222 · 22-11-2015 05:52AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXQkXXBqj_U

sonny.knowles · 22-11-2015 09:43AM

PC BS

c_man · 22-11-2015 10:16AM

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Their attitude is starting to grate with even the gay community and has resulted in one man starting a campaign to 'Drop the T' from LGBT.

I don't get why they're in with them to begin with. It's like the union in the Simpsons, "The International Brotherhood of Jazz Dancers, Pastry Chefs and Nuclear Technicians."

Skoop · 22-11-2015 10:23AM

Yes, it's a mystery as to why they wouldn't hire some transgender model no one has ever heard of over Binklyboop Crumpetbatchler, one of the most famous actors in the world at the minute. Bet they're kicking themselves over that one.

namloc1980 · 22-11-2015 10:45AM

Can you imagine the faux outrage and PC whinging if Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles was released today! The PC Brigade would have a meltdown.

whatdoicare · 22-11-2015 10:58AM

Ah this is a load of pc crap, how could they get offended with two seconds of Cumberwhatsisname giggling when asked if he has a bun or a sausage??

Its just a stupid comedy, they need to get over themselves.

Zoolander went black face in the first one, didn't see anyone from the black community boycotting the film!

Caovyn Lineah · 22-11-2015 11:03AM

I'm getting ****ing fed up of all this ****. These people will find an issue with everything and it's pathetic.

They are taking this from a trailer and about 7 seconds of footage.

Wibbs · 22-11-2015 02:04PM

NachoBusiness wrote: »

More and more people are getting sick to death of these militant trans activists.

I think more and more people are getting sick to death with militant activists full stop. There's a backlash. Not just among the twitterati, I see it in Real Life(™) too and among people who would be generally middle of the road left leaning shure whatever you're having yourself types. And this has the real danger of hurting actual real people within marginalised groups. Too many of these muppet "activists" are crying "Wolf!" and we know how that story ended.

Ten of Swords · 22-11-2015 02:12PM

SJW outrage.

So hot right now

IsMiseMyself · 22-11-2015 02:18PM

NachoBusiness wrote: »

More and more people are getting sick to death of these militant trans activists.

They even unbelievably accused Jared Leto of transmisogyny because of the role he played in Dallas Buyer's Club.

There's a new movie coming out called Stonewall and it has had a petition started to boycott it by a well known trans activist.

Their attitude is starting to grate with even the gay community and has resulted in one man starting a campaign to 'Drop the T' from LGBT.

To be fair, Stonewall was supposed to tell the stone of Stonewall, an event that was largely spearheaded by black transwomen. Casting a straight wide dude to play a straight-acting gay fella as the lead (and largely ignoring the actual truth) is completely rewriting the history. Like if you're gonna tell a trans story properly, tell it fecking properly. It would have been a bit like casting Brad Pitt as Ghandi, calling him Willis and still declaring it to be a film about Ghandi.

Cumberbatch, however, is clearly playing a ridiculous parody, so the two don't really compare.

22-11-2015 02:19PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Your post is an example of troll-shaming, bro. Check your cishet privilege, sh!tlord.

In all seriousness, if people doubt the utter lunacy of these SJW f*ckers they should take a gander at the collection of forums where most of these campaigns originate - Reddit's sh!tredditsays, srsdiscussion, circlebroke2 and socialjustice101 sections.

My only hope for humanity is that those who post on these forums are in fact highly dedicated trolls who are deliberately winding people up, as opposed to people who actually support the repressive crap they propose.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TumblrInAction

Zoolander 2 deemed “transphobic”

Comments