Not-So-Sensational, Transylvania

I'll say it: "Glee" isn't perfect. Far from it, actually. Whether it's the bugbear of cheekily acknowledging the tokenism of its minority characters while continuing to have the White people on the show stay front and center, or its ham-handed wielding of plot and characterization and romance, or even the criticism that it's basically a weekly, hour-long music video, there's a lot about "Glee" that could be better.

I want to speak to one particular issue: Transphobia. I feel this is important to address because "Glee" puts on a public face as a supportive outreach for the GLBT community, in general, yet it doesn't quite hit the mark in all respects. Specifically, I will focus on the infamous "Rocky Horror Glee Show," episode 2x05, in hopes of pinpointing why "Glee's" trans-advocacy leaves a lot to be desired.

The episode is problematic in both overt and intrinsic ways. Perhaps the most obvious issue is the character Mike Chang's use of the word "tranny." Set to play Frank 'n' Furter in the Ohio-based glee club's performance of "Rocky," something he initially volunteers to do with vigor, Mike later announces to the group that his parents "don't want him playin' a tranny." Arguably, he could be paraphrasing his folks' words and actually find "tranny" distasteful. Also, in context, the term presents an opportunity for education. However, there is no attempt to showcase why this phrasing should make viewers cringe, though many who have latched onto "Glee" expecting better likely did.

The other most overt problem with the episode was the altering/deletion of lyrics. Again, this is not attempting to be a criticism of the show's plot or characterization; thus, though the episode plays at whether a bunch of public school kids should be putting on even a watered-down version of the sexually-charged "Rocky" in the first place, and regardless of whether we can argue that Will "But I'm a Teacher" Schuester is hardly someone to be advocating for outcast youth when he very obviously peaked in high school and uses the glee club to relive his glory days, in the end, the fact of the matter remains that what viewers see is "Glee" simultaneously using the term "tranny" and then refusing to use "transsexual" during Mercedes' eventual solo in "Sweet Transvestite." Mike Chang's throwaway comment becomes more difficult to write-off when paired with the writers of the show or the network deciding that "transsexual" is a dirty, offensive word, one that must be completely glossed over; never mind that in the context of the song, it's the name of a place and doesn't refer to anybody's sexual proclivities at all. Thus, Mercedes says she hails from "Sensational, Transylvania," and GLBT advocates of the show are left to sigh again, disappointed and angry. Other lyrical changes are employed, as well, owing once again to the show espousing a message about tolerance and open-mindedness and sexual freedom, yet in the end, it advocates something else entirely.

My last criticism of the episode is perhaps the weakest, but I feel it is still relevant: Where was Kurt? As any "kurt as riff-raff" Google search will showcase, the character's donning a Riff-Raff costume was a fan-favorite, yet he barely makes a peep. When it seems to suit the writers, Kurt frequently plays gay advocate on the show, almost to the point of overexposure if his being tagged as "St. Kurt" for the frequent focus on anti-bullying in recent episodes is any indication. However, in 2x05, he seems to have no opinion one way or the other of the group performing "Rocky," and is barely visible during the episode, save quick clips in the background of group scenes. Again, this veers towards characterization/plotting issues, but it seems odd to delegate Will as the person advocating for something as 'deviant' as "Rocky" when it seems much more organic for Kurt to have some kind of interest in it. Indeed, the only reason it seems to be shoehorned into the show/the school in the first place is due to Will's interest and his ulterior motives in trying to win back the guidance counselor's affections from John Stamos the Super Dentist, which makes it feel, at best, awkward, and at worst, poorly executed.

Overall, "Glee" has taken baby steps to present diversity to middle America, which is admirable, but leaves a lot to be desired when all is said and done. The show proves itself frequently to have issues with racism, and, as "Rocky Horror Glee Show" seems to prove, some mixed up feelings about the trans community. Having a gay character (or writer/creator), or a Black character, or a disabled character on the show is only the tip of an iceberg that said show must continue to chisel into something truly meaningful. In short, "Glee" has a long way to go before it truly earns its "advocate" status.