She has breasts, arched eyebrows and a fierce walk in stilettos, but she was born a man. Stemming from shows like Maury that showcase women who call themselves men and the lives they lead, transsexuals (those who have completed the entire transformation, including the sex change) and transgender (those who morph into the gender of their choice using make up, clothes and other additives like hormones) are breaking into conventional television.
Isis, the first transgender to appear on Tyra Bank’s America’s Next Top Model, competed on this season’s modeling competition despite the media’s jeers and questions. How does she do it? Well, the Maryland-born 22- year-old photographs well and looks more feminine than some of the other contestants, some of the show’s fans argue.
In the pre-op stage of her transformation, she still has her male genitals and uses tape to cover them when modeling. This leaves only one question to be
asked: is society today more accepting of alternative lifestyles being por- trayed on television? One might believe so with the latest reality shows featuring more than the everyday sheltered sorority girl or the extreme southern racist on their programs to boost viewer numbers. People are talking more of the ratings ploy some believe was the only reason they cast Isis on the show.
MTV jumped on the bandwagon in this new trend and featured a cross dresser on one if its new programs, Paris Hilton’s “My new BFF.” Onch is the bisexual Asian running around in bubble glasses and his favorite candy. Also known as Nelson Chang, he is one of the biggest personalities on the show and he gets along with most of the guests in the house, including girls and another gay guy. Neither of these shows, Paris in her first season and Tyra just finishing up her eleventh season, has seen their viewing stats decrease because of Onch’s and Isis’ presence on the shows.
While it is a little surprising that any reality show is including a transgendered person, let’s hope that Isis and Onch are on these shows because of their talent and distinctiveness.