What the hell am I watching on NBC? They've interviewed a couple of young transgendered women, all of whom had difficult childhoods, problem fathers, and families who reject them. Then, they segue into what appear to be drag houses, and how "the house father of house X says he is supportive of his daughters, but many say there are house fathers who take sexual liberties with their charges..."
It's twenty minutes at least into this show, but it appears as if this is what the show is going to be.
Yes, of course these ladies have genuine stories. Yes, for them, this *is* what it's all about. However, I have to give NBC a big WTF so far. I could put together a show of just as many transfolk, men and women, who are all geeks with accepting families who went into IT and ended up at Microsoft. It would be just as true for that set.
Where's the diversity? Where are the transwomen who aren't twentysomething? Where are the college professors and the geeks? Where are the moms? Hell, where are the transmen? At least on this show, the majority of the transwomen aren't white.... wait. I'm not so sure that's a good thing. Is that another part of the angle?
Ugh. This show is a train wreck.
Edit: Oh man. Now, it's "The job market for transgendered women is often so difficult that they turn to prostitution..."
Edit again: Hey, what do you know! One of the transgendered women had a boyfriend who was a transman.
Edit once more: Ugh. They closed with a house father saying "The percentage rate of a successful transgender woman is very slim."
Last edit, I swear: They did have an earlier episode on transmen. It looks like the episode on transmen might have been a little better, at least a little less frivolous than the one on transwomen.
MSNBC debuts two new episodes of “Born in the Wrong Body.” The first part, “Girls Will Be Boys,” premiering Sunday, Dec. 23 at 9 p.m. ET, takes an intimate look at three adult biological females who have been living their lives as men and the path they take towards making their bodies match the gender they believe they are. MSNBC cameras are with Mac, Patric, and Eric as they prepare for their final gender reassignment surgeries, in the operating room during their surgeries, and on their home turf several weeks afterward. “Girls Will Be Boys” takes a look at the mental anguish often suffered by “transmen” (transgender female-to-males) from childhood on, the agonizing difficulties they face, and the triumph of finally getting their bodies to match their minds. The second hour, “On the Edge,” airing Thursday, Dec. 27 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delves into the transgender “Ballroom” scene in New York. It’s a world unto its own – a wild and spectacular scene where transgender people are in their element – and celebrated for who they are. But the over-the-top clothes and party atmosphere belie the serious problems that pursue transgender people in the everyday world. This episode follows four “transwomen” (transgender men-to-women) who walk on the edge of living life fully while being pushed to the edge of society.
http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/11/27/msnbcs-december-doc-block-premieres/GRR!