Ricky Gervais can’t be a trans ally while he continually makes lazy ‘jokes’ at our expense
Ricky Gervais’s latest Netflix show entitled SuperNature, he made jokes about the concept of trans women attacking and raping people in public bathrooms.The opening of the show starts with the English comedian’s sights aimed squarely at trans women.Gervais began talking about genitals: ‘I love the new women.
They’re great, aren’t they? The new ones we’ve been seeing lately. The ones with beards and c***s.’I wasn’t shocked hearing this because trans people have increasingly become an overused punchline for comedians to punch down at.He swiftly moved onto a scenario where a theoretical trans woman could rape someone – falling into the ‘trans women are predators’ outdated trope.He continued: ‘What if he rapes me? ‘What if SHE rapes you?’ followed by clattering laughter from the audience.
This introduction sets the tone for the rest of the show, one of ‘cancel culture’ and layers of trans panic.This insistence on focussing on the physical aspects of trans people, or quipping that he wishes gender identity had existed when he was young because he would’ve leveraged that to try to get a new bike, ignores the nuance of trans identities.It ignores the complexity and beauty of being transgender and it dilutes the conversation into quick laughs that aim to cheapen our existence.Nearing the final act of the show, Gervais states, ‘Full disclosure: In real life of course I support trans rights.
I support all human rights, and trans rights are human rights. Live your best life. Use your preferred pronouns. Be the gender that you feel that you are.
