The casting of a non-transgender actor in the transgender lead role of a film is facing calls of a boycott from the transgender community.
“Anything,” which features gay cisgender male actor Matt Bomer as a transgender sex worker, is set to be released in May, according to PinkNews. Facebook group Trans Narratives called for a boycott of the film and asks for people to see “A Fantastic Woman” featuring transgender actor Daniela Vega.
“Here is some feedback. The meme resonated enough to get more than 2,000 shares in a couple of days,” a recent post from the group’s Facebook page. “Feedback indicates that most trans people are offended by Hollywood’s employment of cis men who put on a dress trying to imitate trans people. If it is no longer acceptable for white folks to play African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, why is it acceptable for men to play trans women?”
Other non-transgender actors, including Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Tambor and Andrew Garfield, have taken criticism for their roles as transgender people, according to PinkNews.
“So perhaps the gay men who insist on ‘gay-splaining’ that Matt Bomer should be playing a trans woman just can’t get over the notion that trans women are in fact women, not gay men,” a page administrator posted.