Mark Ruffalo Responds To Huge Backlash Over Transgender Movie: “I Hear You”

 

It was announced a few days ago that Matt Bomer would be playing a transgender woman in a new film called ‘Anything‘, directed by Mark Ruffalo. 

Obviously, it’s yet another case of a cisgender man being cast as a transgender woman, so the global trans community were vocally upset about it. 

Most recently, we’ve seen Eddie Redmayne in ‘The Danish Girl‘, Jared Leto in ‘Dallas Buyers Club‘, and Jeffrey Tambor in ‘Transparent‘ – all fantastic actors, but nonetheless, their roles belonged to trans women. 

Mark Ruffalo has now responded to the backlash, saying he hears the trans community, and that ‘it’s time’ to have this conversation:

To the Trans community. I hear you. It’s wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It’s time.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016

In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making “The Normal Heart”.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016

And when one person suggested that he actually act on his words, and recast a trans woman for the role, the answer was of course:

@Vodstok The movie is already shot and Matt poured his heart and soul into this part. Please have a little compassion. We are all learning.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016

He carries a good sentiment, but the problem is that this situation has happened over and over again – ‘the time is now’ he deems, but the conversation has been had. This conversation only still continues because cisgender men casting and accepting the roles refuse to listen, change, or give up any sort of power in order to make space for transgender people. 

We don’t want to delve into the complexities of the power structures skewed against transgender people in our society, or the flow-on effect of that for actors – instead, let’s hear and learn from the talented Jen Richards, who is an actor, director, and a transgender woman. She created the truly excellent show about the dating lives of trans and queer women, ‘Her Story’.

She posted a lengthy, but beautifully eloquent and informative thread of tweets about why cisgender men being continually cast in these roles actually endangers the lives of trans women. It’s long, but stay with it, because it is legitimately INCREDIBLE:

I auditioned for this. I told them they shouldn’t have a cis man play a trans woman. They didn’t care. https://t.co/T7YFe6OeX9

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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…

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

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

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

Back to the point. WHY do men, who aren’t attracted to men, who only date women, think being with trans women makes them gay/less masculine?

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

Because culture as a whole still thinks trans women are “really” men. Decades of showing us that way in shows. It’s been internalized.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

Again & again cis men play trans women in media with the furthest reach, are rewarded for it, & tell the world trans women are “really” men.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

When Jared Leto plays Rayon and accepts his Oscar with a full beard, the world see’s that being a trans women is just a man performing.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

When @MattBomer plays a trans sex worker, he is telling the world that underneath it all, trans women like me are still really just men.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

And that is going to lead to violence. Not to me, likely, but to girls already most at risk. Any cis men who do this have bloody hands.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

I’m not some screechy activist. I mean all this literally. It’s happening all the time. The stakes are life & death. Our women are dying.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

Dear @MarkRuffalo & @MattBomer: if you release this movie, it will directly lead to violence against already at risk trans women.

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016

The story of ‘Anything’ follows a man (John Carroll Lynch) who is suicidal after the death of his wife, who moves to Los Angeles to stay with his sister, but along the way befriends a transgender sex worker (Matt Bomer). The pair have to reconcile their differences as they ‘fill the void’ in each others lives. 

There’s no word on release date at time of writing. 

Photo: Alberto Rodriguez / Getty.