GLAAD Bashes Transgendered People, Calls For Censorship

Over that awful upcoming ABC sitcom, “Work It.” (Trailer above.) I can objectively say that “Work It” is awful having not even seen a full episode, because, uh, hello. But can you take out a full page ad in Variety demanding that ABC pull the show from its schedule if you haven’t even seen a full episode? GLAAD thinks it can.

In addition to the call for censorship (ironic for a group that supposedly celebrates free speech, inclusion, and freedom of expression), GLAAD inadvertently attacks the people it’s supposedly trying to protect in their ad:

Next month, ABC plans to premiere the show “Work It,” featuring two men who dress as women in order to gain employment. By encouraging the audience to laugh at the characters’ attempts at womanhood, the show gives license to similar treatment of transgender women.

Oh? So, GLAAD is comparing actual transgender women to men who dress up as women in order to get jobs. Or, they’re saying that television viewers won’t be able to tell the difference and will, after tuning in to “Work It” (which, by the way, no one will anyway),  just assume that all trans men and women are just playing dress up, to get jobs! In this economy, I guess anything’s possible. Except, no. GLAAD is either saying that sitcom characters and transgendered people are the same thing, or they’re calling potential “Work It” viewers stupid (although to be fair, if you’re someone who willingly chooses to watch “Work It,” you probably are stupid).

ABC should not air this show – plain and simple.  At the very least, “Work It” is offensive and insulting. At worst, the show is downright dangerous and sends a message that transgender people are to be laughed at, or are somehow less-than. This show would be a setback for transgender Americans, and for everyone who believes that all people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Never mind the fact that cross dressing as comedy has been making people laugh since before the pussies at GLAAD were even born (Some Like It Hot, Milton Berle, “Bosom Buddies,” etc.–which is not to say that “Work It” is anywhere close to those levels of comedy, because clearly it’s not), who is GLAAD to gauge what is and what isn’t “dignified”? GLAAD? The same group that took money from AT&T and in turn lobbied the FCC in support of AT&T’s proposed merger with T-Mobile?

The people who should be offended by “Work It” are unemployed, middle-aged men, who are being depicted as bumbling and submissive clowns. Others who could possibly be offended are comedy writers and people with taste, but not transgendered women. But, leave it to GLAAD (and HRC, who co-sponsored the ad) to insult the people who didn’t even know they were supposed to be insulted.

 

 

16 thoughts on “GLAAD Bashes Transgendered People, Calls For Censorship”

  1. I mean, for a show GLAAD’s trying to get off the air, they sure seem to be giving it a shitload of free publicity…

    1. There is always the possibility that the show PAID for the publicity by making a donation to GLAAD in an under the table deal asking them to protest it as a win-win collaboration. GLADD has a genuine platform to bring transgender issues to the public’s attention and the show gets high initial ratings because of the “controversy”.

  2. The idea that it is easier to be anything but an able-bodied, white, cisgendered male (who is probably also a heterosexual) in the workplace in the United States is the funniest thing about this hot mess. I give it two episodes. I think it will play fast and loose with the threat level that transwomen and other gender-nonconforming people live with on a daily basis. And it will probably not be funny. But better to let ABC air it & show the world what idiots their execs are than to clamor for a ban.

  3. I recall an anime series called I My Me! Strawberry Eggs about a guy who’s rejected for a job because of his sex and decides to cross-dress in order to get hired. So the story of this sitcom is nothing new.

    ABC actually used to be worth watching. But now that they’re cancelling the soaps and bringing on piles of crap like Work It, I’m starting to wonder if they want their station to fail.

  4. When I first saw the promo’s I admit I thought it was a bit offensive. My first thought was how this was going to affect people with gender identity issues. Then I thought like the others, about all the history of men crossdressing for comedy. I certainly hope that ABC takes this opportunity with this show to showcase some of the problems that trans people face. It can still be done with a positive message and be funny at the same time.

  5. Sad that even GLAAD can’t tell the difference between cross-dressers and transgendered people. They should be trying to educate people rather than pander to this kind of ignorance.

    1. Isn't It Obvious?

      Yeah I was thinking that, maybe it’s because transgendered and transvestite both begin with “trans” and that confused their tiny minds.

  6. What a load of rubbish. It actually has nothing to do with transgendered people.

    It’s not the first, or last of this type of satire.

    By their logic, lets destroy all copies of Mrs Doubtfire, White Chicks, Big Mommas House, Shakespeare In Love, Sorority Boys, The Hot Chick..ect

  7. This is as bad as the PTC going after The Playboy Club when they hadn’t seen an episode, either! Please, it is clear this show will last 1 episode and be pulled. No audience is going to tune into this poorly made show. Give it an episode or catch a screener copy, then protest it.

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