Considering Work It brought to mind a 1999 episode of another ABC situation comedy, Dharma & Greg.
The title of the episode was "Dharma Drags Edward Out of Retirement" and it involves edrag.com, a company that merchandizes women's fashions for men.
In my humble opinion, this episode of Dharma & Greg handled crossdressing far more respectfully than Work It. It was humorous without throwing transwomen under the bus.
You can view the episode for yourself on YouTube, where it is in divided into three parts (1, 2, and 3).
That was a great episode. I was only an occasional watcher of the show but always liked Susan Sullivan and her wardrobe.
ReplyDeleteI am still hopeful that Work It turns out OK. If they focus on the initial humor of a man in a dress or tripping in heels the show should get an early cancellation.
On the other hand there is a gold mine of riches that can be found if the writers and producers use the vehicle to explore human nature and human needs.
Pat
Dear Stana,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Pat Scales. Thanks to your post, I watched the episode on YouTube. Dharma treated the crossdressers very well and respectfully. Greg's father at first had a slightly prejudicial attitude, but came around to accepting, respecting, and even befriending the crossdressers. He even crossdressed himself, although he was not transgendered.
I'll give "Work It' a chance. Even if the first couple of episodes are not sensitive to transwomen, perhaps subsequent episodes will gain an enlightened and respectful tone based on the complaints from the transgender community. If the show does not improve the presentation of crossdressing after the second or third episode, I and other transwomen will have the option of simply not watching it. Food for thought -- it may be tricky for the show to find the most respectful and educational tone regarding transgenderism, since the two guys who crossdress for employment are not (supposedly) transgendered. Perhaps, they could introduce a new character or two who were actual crossdressers or transsexuals. Then, those transwomen could be used to educate the audience in a respectful way.
Love,
Sheila.