Transgressing Trans Issues: Why Glee's Kurt Hummel is its True Transgendered Character

• In Event: Cupcakes, Headphones, and Video Games: Explorations in Media Representations of Gender Roles, Sexual Identities, and Sexual Practices

Abstract

Gay and lesbian TV characters have served numerous purposes and have fueled much research into popular culture, but trans representations are much more rare. This study attempts to fill a gap in LGBTQ scholarship by focusing on a substantive trans character in recent popular culture through a textual analysis of Glee, as well as responses to Wade “Unique” Adams. Literature under consideration here concerns “wrong body” discourses, binary gender, and increased representation. It is argued that, although trans representations are largely problematic, increased visibility of non-conforming gendered performances in popular culture is indicative of ideological developments within the television industry. That said, this research ultimately suggests that the gay lead (Kurt Hummel) is in fact more transgressive of normativity than the “trans” character; while both transgress normative gender roles, Unique reinforces gender as a binary, whereas Kurt demonstrates gender’s fluidity.

Author

• Laurena Elizabeth Nelson Bernabo, U of Iowa