The Repercussions of Representation

Abstract

Representation in the media has, to a great degree, shaped people’s views of communities they have not had personal interaction with. With growing awareness about the lives and rights of transgender individuals, a concern is raised about how they are showcased in media. This research study aims to evaluate the impact of depicting gender and related themes in media on the lives of urban transgender Indian youth belonging to the age group of 15 to 19 years old. This was accomplished through conducting focus group sessions to understand the participants’ views furthermore thematic analysis was carried out to interpret and thematise the findings. The study illuminated feelings of alienation, from the rest of the community and from society as a whole. The participants showed signs of internalised transphobia that linked to the vision of them shown in the media. While moving forward, media seeking to represent the transgender, or any minority, community need to consider the impacts of their representation. In particular, having members from the community oversee their work and be involved in the production of the same would ensure authentic and relatable representation. This would create job opportunities for transgender individuals in the film industry, thereby increasing their livelihood and leading to betterment in the functioning of the industry. In addition, it would help secure the place of gender minorities in a society that currently either refuses to acknowledge their existence or has a warped perception of them.

Keywords - transgender, representation, media, internalised transphobia, nonbinary