Document Type
Essay
Publication Date
5-12-2026
Abstract
Transgender representation in mainstream media has grown in recent years. However, these portrayals are often hegemonic, clinging to a traditional worldview. Depictions of trans characters prioritize Whiteness, higher socioeconomic status, and transitions that adhere to the binary. Additionally, transgender characters often have access to gender-affirming care and are supported by their families throughout their transition (Mocarski et al., 2019). Research on the media representations of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals points out how these portrayals reinforce ideals surrounding transnormativity, or the idea that trans people’s identities and experiences must be applied to the dominant binary and medicalized framework (Bradford & Johnson, 2024). However, the film Tangerine (Baker, 2015) subverts hegemonic transgender media representation by depicting the lived realities of transgender women of color. Using the frameworks of intersectionality and Multiple Jeopardy Theory, this paper explores how economic instability, sex work, and resilience found in chosen family offer a more authentic portrayal of what it means to be in the TGD community.
Recommended Citation
Britton, Lydia '27, "Economic Survival and Chosen Kinship: Analyzing Intersectionality’s Role in Reframing Trans Representation in Tangerine" (2026). Student Research. 671, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/671
Comments
Completed as part of Dr. Phoenix Crane's PSY 346: Psychology of Gender in Film.