International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.
To mark this important day we are delighted to support Trans+ on Screen, a new, and much-needed, directory representing trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming professionals in all areas of Film and TV, from(pre-)production to distribution. Founded by Alice Blanc (They/them) this year, the organisation not only looks to push for visibility and diversity behind and in front of the camera – but to change the current status quo with regards to opportunities given to trans people.
They operate as a business model which challenges industry norms, and distances itself from agency fees and tokenistic hires, in favour of a model based on care and empowerment.
They prioritise and elevate voices from a community that needs to be heard (and seen), to show a revolutionising way the industry can run.
Founder, Alice Blanc, works at Endeavor as a Materials Executive. They are also part of the BIFA Advisory Board and the Iris Prize Film Festival Committee, and currently studying Entertainment Business and Management at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Alice has experience working in the pre-production industry and distribution, in both film & TV.
ALICE SAYS:
“The importance of representation in front of the camera is key, especially when trans / non-binary people are given 0 opportunities to play cis characters. Even if it’s true that over the past years more trans stories are being told on screen; the same issue remains: trans people are still invisible either because the characters are played by cisgender people or the story is not told accurately or because the ones that receives accolades/awards are cisgender. Tom Hooper the director of the Danish Girl received many accolades, so did lead actor Eddie Redmayne; Boys Don’t Cry also won so many accolades and awards.
Trans+ on Screen not only looks to push for visibility and diversity behind and in front of the camera – but the organisation is looking to change the current status quo with regards to opportunities given to trans people. We want to give opportunities to trans people to upskill, get extra training and get the right support off-set and on-set. We want to see more trans professionals in the writer’s rooms, or giving the green light alongside decision-makers, or receiving extra funding for untold narratives: by working with us – organisation, production companies can only gain”.
Nathalie, composer and writer
It’s great to see real lives and stories of trans/gender non-conforming people become more visible in mainstream media. Though lovely as representation may be, our inclusion into these spaces of work behind the scenes is sorely-needed, and trans* integration should be highly sought after; as we inherently provide unique perspectives, invaluable knowledge, and experiences beyond cis-comprehension.
alve, story consultant
”It’s important to work both with representation in front of the camera, and with creating diversity and a safe work environment for trans and non-binary people (and other minorities) on set.”
Meredith (HMU)
What more can I say that has not already been said. Queer culture is birthed from the underground; assimilation into the mainstream is futile. Do your Google’s, search Trans+ on Screen and hire accordingly.
Io (sound designer, videographer).
Up until now, every post/crew group I’ve come across has been dominated by middle aged white men, who proudly scoff at any steps taken towards diversity or requests for female/lgbt crew members. This database presents a significant step towards the inclusion of trans+ people working in the media, as it allows for productions to safely recruit from within the trans+ community while being protected from harassment and bigotry.
Nathalie, composer and writer
It’s great to see real lives and stories of trans/gender non-conforming people become more visible in mainstream media. Though lovely as representation may be, our inclusion into these spaces of work behind the scenes is sorely-needed, and trans* integration should be highly sought after; as we inherently provide unique perspectives, invaluable knowledge, and experiences beyond cis-comprehension.
alve, story consultant
”It’s important to work both with representation in front of the camera, and with creating diversity and a safe work environment for trans and non-binary people (and other minorities) on set.”
Meredith (HMU)
What more can I say that has not already been said. Queer culture is birthed from the underground; assimilation into the mainstream is futile. Do your Google’s, search Trans+ on Screen and hire accordingly.
Io (sound designer, videographer).
Up until now, every post/crew group I’ve come across has been dominated by middle aged white men, who proudly scoff at any steps taken towards diversity or requests for female/lgbt crew members. This database presents a significant step towards the inclusion of trans+ people working in the media, as it allows for productions to safely recruit from within the trans+ community while being protected from harassment and bigotry.
Click HERE to learn more about Trans + On Screen
#TransResistance and #TDOV #TransDayofVisibility #transgender #trans