Gender identity can be defined as "deeply held in the feelings of whether you are male, female, both or neither" (diversity and inclusion, AHS, 2020). Gender expression, on the other hand, is choosing to express your Gender through names, hairstyles, behaviour, clothing, voice, or body features.
In film and television, the genre previously called "cross-dressing cinema" is now referred to as "transgender cinema" (Donegan, ND). There have been many representations of the transgender community, but many represent trans women who are sexualised at the narrative's focus. Bendix (2020) claimed trans men had been almost completely ignored and met with trans-phobic reactions, like Max in the television show "The L Word", portrayed by actor Daniela Sea. (Figure 1).
Including trans-and, non-binary characters can only be good for the industry where trans-masculine stories have been largely untold. Alex Schneider, associate director of transgender representation at Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), quotes, "trans men and non-binary people have largely been invisible on television". (Bendix, 2020).
According to Francis (2020), gender identity is a theme that is being confronted more in film today. Up until the 1970s, dressing as the opposite sex was played for comical misadventures like in' Some like it hot ' (1959). (Figure 2).
More films are emerging exploring gender roles, cross-dressing and the transgender community.
Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire (1993) (figure 3)and Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto (2005) (figure 3)
Glenn Close Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs (2011) (figure 5)
Meryl Streep is a 90-year-old rabbi in Angels in America (2003) (figure 6)
and Linda Hunt in The year of living dangerously (1982) (figure 7)
Historically, females and males have played roles of the opposite sex. McManus (2016) argues that in Shakespeare's day, female parts were played by male actors; however, by the turn of the 20th century, it had become increasingly common for actresses to take male parts called' breeches roles'. This leads to the idea of the make-up artists' gender look to be of a woman passing as a man through facial prosthetics, wigs and makeup. This is not about changing Gender or sexuality but more about how a female's features can be adjusted to become more masculine. A modern version of this transformation can be seen in Taylor Swift's music video I am the man (video 1)
Despite the prosthetic process not being the makeup artist's strongest ability, she has enjoyed sculpting more so far. This may be due to more experience, but the skills learned have improved, and more confidence is apparent. Figure 8 shows the progress to date, although Figure 9 Demonstrates how the sculpt has changed. Reference images have been used (Figure10 and Figure11). Although having a 3D life-size skull that is anatomically correct and a knowledge of facial muscles would help sculpt facial prosthetics.
Reference list
Bendix.T (2020). How a new class of trans male actors are changing the face of television. [Online] Available at: https://time.com/5686290/transgender-men-representation-television/. (Accessed 20 December 2021).
Diversity and inclusion, AHS (2020). Gender, gender identity and gender expression. [Online]. Available at: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/Pages/gender-ID-expression-LGBTQ.aspx. (Accessed 19 December 2021).
Donegan.S (n.d). Trans representation in cinema and TV, n.d. [Blog]. Available at: https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/lgbt-health-blog/trans-representation-cinema-tv/. (Accessed 19 December 2021).
McManus, C (2016) Shakespeare and Gender: The' woman's part' [Online]. Available at https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/shakespeare-and-gender-the-womans-part. (Accessed 20 January 2022).
Figures reference list
Figure 1- Raga, P (2019) Are New Season of' The L Word' Has Been Ordered-Because There is a God [Online]. Available at https://www.distractify.com/entertainment/2019/02/01/Cw6GEkAZE/new-season-of-l-word. (Accessed 20 January 2022).
Figure 2-Scott, A.O and Dargis, M (2020) Viewing Party' Let's all Watch' Some Like It Hot'! [Online]. Available at https//www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/movies/some-like-it-hot-marilyn-monroe.html. (Accessed 4 February 2022).
Figure 3- Cannon, E (2019) Top 10 movies where a male actor has played a woman [Online]. Available at https://entertainment.ie/movies/movie-news/top-10-movies-where-a-male-actor-has-played-a-woman-385558/. (Accessed 20 January 2022).
Figures 4-7- Francis, A (2020) A man (& The Best Where A Man Played A Woman) [Online]. Available at https://screenrant.com/best-performances-where-a-woman-played-a-man-the-best-where-a-man-played-a-woman/. (Accessed 20 January 2022).
Figure 8- Thorp, N (2022) Model and sculpt so far. York College. York.
Figure 9- Thorp, N (2021) Variations of the sculpt. York College. York.
Figure 10- Aulad.org. (n.d). Attractive male facial features. [Online]. Available at www.google.com/search?q=attractive+male+facial+features&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwil4M6Lvbv1AhWFX_EDHcAgC_4Q2-cCegQIABAA&oq=attractive+male+facial+features&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIFCAAQgAQ6BwgjEO8DECc6BggAEAcQHjoICAAQCBAHEB5QwAlYgB1g0iRoAHAAeACAAaoBiAGWCJIBBDExLjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=HMrmYaXiB4W_xc8PwMGs8A8&bih=591&biw=1267&rlz=1C1GCEA_en-GBGB902GB902&hl=en-GB. (Accessed 6 November 2021).
Figure 11-Nguyen, D. (n. d). EP 1: drawing masculine Vs feminine features – fix my drawing series [Online]. Available at https://rapidfireart.com/2020/02/05/ep-1-drawing-masculine-vs-feminine-features-fix-my-drawing-series/. (Accessed 5 October 2021)
Video reference list
Taylor Swift-The Man (Becoming The Man: Behind The Scenes) (2020) YouTube video added by Taylor Swift [Online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5gXfaAFPOM. (Accessed 5 October 2021).