Monday, November 30, 2009

The Cleveland Show Features Transphobic Episode

The Cleveland Show an animated series spin off of the Family Guy which appears on Fox has created a disgustingly transphobic episode.

The character Auntie Mama a beloved but "outrageous" woman who is overtly sexual and has poor manners is discovered by Cleveland to have a penis. Cleveland immediately declares her a man and feels sick to his stomach over his discovery. Cleveland's father hits on Auntie Mama and has sex with her and Cleveland debates how to tell his dad that "Auntie Mama is really a man" There were many jokes over her gender identity, and her genitalia. Cleveland confronts Auntie Mama and her voice suddenly deepens and she says she pretends to be a woman so that his wife whose mother died can have a feminine influence in her life. Ultimately, both Cleveland and his dad vomit several times to show their overt disgust with finding out that Auntie Mama is trans.

The entire episode can be seen below:



This show is problematic on multiple levels, for one it questions the characters gender identity, it makes fun of gender, and it reinforces the misconception that transgender people are purposefully deceptive.

Contact Fox to let them know your thoughts:
askfox@fox.com

The Cleveland Show on Twitter.

H/T to Bilerico Project.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't make too much out of it. It'a show. It's meant to be offensive. It is offensive to ALL races and genders. As a black queer, I realize it's all comedy. Not a bash of the community. I think we as a people need to lighten up and stop finding fault in anything that maybe not be PC.

Anonymous said...

It is very apparent that the author(s) of this post do not get the idea of comedy, satire, and compassion. Auntie Mama came into existence out of compassion for Cleveland's wife so that she would have a female roll model in her life. This episode has nothing to do with Transexuality. The actions taken by both Cleveland and his father when they find out the truth about Aunt Mam is pure satire. I was done way over the top to show how people over react to such a situation.

I wish some folks in the LGBT community would get a life and go after issues that really matter instead of twisting things around so that they have something to complain about. There was nothing offensive about this episode. at all. Aunti Mama never claimed to be Transsexual. She did admit to helping out a young lady in need.

Grassroots Grrl said...

Hmmmmm, not saying that this is okay, but it seems Auntie Mama is a direct parody of Tyler Perry's character, Madea ... but in a different context ... and certainly a more damaging one ...

Personally, I'd be interested to hear what Tyler Perry thinks of this ...

Anonymous said...

WHO CARES!

April said...

I got this site from speak equal and was just browsing around. I will be honest that normally I wouldnt be offended by this episode...except for the homelessness issue...as Ive worked with that community for a year...but yes, thank you....I can see where this is offensive on so many different levels, so many pre-consieved notions and ideas. This is what makes people stay where they are at...its mind melting.

thanks

Grassroots Grrl said...

... yeah ... I just watched the whole video ... kinda disturbed ... and this has the nerve to a be a terrible parody of Tyler Perry's MADEA ... a parody that I'm not too sure he'd appreciate ...

Sabertooth Screaming Lemur said...

There are so many things wrong with the Cleveland Show, I honestly do not know how it got on the air in the first place. Hopefully it dies soon.

Shawn Landis, Philadelphia Asexual Examiner said...

This is the same guy who produced Family Guy and American Dad.

Anonymous said...

i don't care what any body says the show in general isn't funny, the jokes are off key, it's too overrated with the offensiveness, and the good in that show is the song that it!!. So actually i just think yhe show is stupid as hell!!! i can't stand it really that why i stop watching the show.
And if anybody really thinks and belives this isn't meant to offend transsexuals look closer at the espisode again!! dummmie!! The media been offending the public for a long time now. The reason is to sell production(products)and using propoganda to do it.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous... Why are you on such a website if you are here to use language like "Shut up Queers".

I agree that they do make fun of everyone.
Therefore everyone has the right to be offended. Most are not. Some are.
And guess what. It's their right.

Also, in the old times people make wonderful comedies without "making fun of everybody". Nowadays fun is only produced by ridiculing people or groups, not by having a sense of humour. And that really annoys me.

Lydia

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