Yes please! People need to be less afraid of ‘bad’ representation.
Verilybitchie made two very good videos on this topic:
Good LGBT Representation is Boring (and why that’s a problem)
and
Oh yes, definitely. Having rough edges, or a bad side humanizes a character, which has been proven to lead to more relatable and likeable characters. It’s the driving force behind the whole antihero thing.
The good examples are definitely out there, but all of them are niche and the problem is likely that big productions are afraid of taking a risk by not trying to please everyone. Which also explains why recent large productions all have this shitty writing that feels artificial. Doesn’t matter if it’s feminism, LGBTQ+ themes, representation of ethnic minorities or just the cookie cutter cis white protagonist. They manage to enshittify everything by playing it safe.
Due to my low tolerance for the cishetmono nonsense engendering their fascination with us trans folk, I’ve chosen to beat a wide path around any works by and for cishets involving trans characters. However it would be wonderful to have stories in our own voices with complex characters which challenge viewers to rethink their own relationships with the structural injustices binding our society together. Perhaps some appealing psychopathic antagonists, seductively evil side characters, and morally gray protagonists? Something like the delightfully unapologetic queer feminist streaming adaptation of Killing Eve would be great! Definitely go check it out if you haven’t seen it yet!
