For me, the best thing this year is the amazing crop of transmasculine and non-binary characters I’ve seen on TV. Historically, trans people in general have been massively underrepresented in fiction, and transmasc and enby people are seen even less often than our trans women sisters. But in the year 2022 I have been blessed with a bunch of new (and new-to-me, and a couple who are neither but are so great I’m putting them on the list anyway) characters who have Relatable Gender Vibes.
Some people – not on the Avocado, thankfully – like to argue that representation doesn’t really accomplish anything, or mean anything, but anyone who could feel the sheer, transcendent joy of finally being understood and knowing that thousands or even millions of people are seeing that portrayal too…they know the power of representation.
Without further ado, a list of these characters and their actors!
- Jim Jimenez (Vico Ortiz), Our Flag Means Death
- Barney Guttman (Zack Barack) and Courtney (Emily Osment), Dead End: Paranormal Park
- Viktor Hargreeves (Elliot Page), The Umbrella Academy
- Osana Najimi (Rie Murakawa [original], Skyler Davenport [English dub]), Komi Can’t Communicate
- Terrestrius, aka Terry (Benjamin Callins), The Dragon Prince
- Bertie (Lea Robinson), A League of Their Own
- Grey Tal (Ian Alexander) and Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), Star Trek: Discovery
Did anyone else have a euphoric moment of media rep this year? Do you have any recommendations? Did I miss anyone on my list that I should absolutely look up?? Shout it out in the comments and have a happy Boxing Day!