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No Antitrans Bias Intended in 'Lost Girl,' Say Producers

No Antitrans Bias Intended in 'Lost Girl,' Say Producers

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They say an apparently female character who is attacked when revealed to be male represents a mythological shapeshifter, not a transgender person.

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The SyFy series Lost Girl has received some criticism for apparent antitransgender bias in its third-season premiere, and now its producers have released a statement saying no such bias was intended.

In the episode, heroine Bo, who investigates crimes among supernatural beings, is in a prison run by Amazons, the mythical tribe of women warriors, GLAAD reports on its blog. The villainous warden appears to be a woman and claims to be an Amazon but turns out to be biologically male, and the revelation leads the prison guards to attack the warden.

"Whether or not you consider the prison warden to be a transgender character is open to interpretation given that the character is a mythological shapeshifter, but there's no mistaking the scene that takes place out at the end of the episode," GLAAD's blog notes. "The warden being 'discovered' and then viciously attacked is a scenario tragically based in reality, but here is played out for the enjoyment of the audience. It's also evocative of the offensive claim that transgender women are 'tricking' their way into female-only spaces for perverted or criminal purposes."

After GLAAD raised the issue, Prodigy Pictures, which produces the series, released a statement saying the warden was intended solely to represent a "mythological shapeshifter known as the Liderc," as all the show's episodic characters are based on established mythology. "We did not intend this character to be seen as a transgender person, we apologize if the character was seen as such," the statement continues. "We do hope that you accept that no comparison or discrimination toward the transgender community was intended by the depiction of this mythological character. Lost Girl prides itself on being open and accepting to everyone, and are enthusiastic supporters of the GLBT community."

GLAAD notes that Lost Girl is a very inclusive show, with strong lesbian and bisexual characters, including Bo, who started a relationship with a woman in the same episode. It also has a large lesbian and bisexual fan base. GLAAD's post closes by expressing hope that the series "will continue to set a good example in future episodes."

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.