Jen RichardsVerified account

I've made this point in a few interviews, but never on Twitter, so let me lay it out. Reasons not to have cis men play trans women:

First, there's the practical/economic one. It denies actual trans women opportunities, jobs, resources, which hurts entire community.

Then there's an aesthetic. Now, I agree, in principle, that anyone can play anyone. As an artist, I want that kind of freedom myself, but...

Having trans people play trans people allows for more informed, subtle, authentic performance. It makes for BETTER ART, which is the point.

There's a reason why @HerStoryShow has resonated so much with trans people, why we love @Lavernecox, @MsJamieClayton, @angelicaross, etc.

Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, etc., are great actors, but we, and those who know us, see the difference between them & us.

Cis audiences reward them because they see being trans itself as a performance. Trans actors rather perform THE STORY, not our gender.

But all of this pales to the main reason not to have cis men play trans women. This is the reason that is making me cry as I type this...

It will result in violence against trans women. And that is not hyperbole, I mean it literally. Cis men playing trans women leads to death.

Here's why. I've spent years looking at violence against trans women, particularly who does it & why. I talk to survivors. There's a pattern

Straight men are attracted to trans women. They always have been, always will be. We are some of the most popular sex workers. It's a fact.

BUT they are afraid that being with trans women makes them gay/less masculine. They seek us out, enjoy us, then punish us for their anxiety.

Let's be more direct: They have sex with us, worry that makes them gay, then reassert their masculinity through violence aimed at us.

The problem is that the definition of trans is so broad that it has been reduced to a mere costume without standards.

This is patently not true.

Its true from my POV. You may offer another perspective from you POV. If I put a six down in front of you you are going to assume its 9

There's a reason it is called "acting". It's clear they wanted a Big Name. Like casting Depp as Tonto.

If the excuse is they just wanna cast big names, how are trans actors supposed to become big names?