Two hit shows, "Orange is the New Black" and "Transparent" have different approaches on presenting various sexual preferences. On-screen and off-screen the shows seem to be run very differently.
According to Decider, the New Yorker Festival hosted a discussion involving producers involved with the LGBTQ community with a panel aptly titled "LGBTQ TV" on Saturday. In the said panel, New Yorker critic Emily Nussbaum moderated the discussion with "Transparent" creator Jill Soloway and "Orange is the New Black" creator Jenji Kohan explaining their differing takes on certain topics.
Soloway described her approach on "Transparent" to not only focus on-screen, but also off-screen. Apparently the set hires trans actors, consultants, and crew members and offers gender-neutral bathrooms to make the set "a safe space." Soloway also mentioned not being able to find trans women TV writers, but that she is encouraging trans women to write their short stories and send them in. Ultimately, Soloway plans to hire a trans woman writer for season 2.
However Kohan disagreed with the approach, saying, "I would just never want to be told I can never write male characters." Kohan said she would have trouble with the approach Soloway was doing, and that a person invited to share experiences in the writer's room aren't automatically writers.
To this Bustle shares Soloway responding with wanting to teach trans women "how to write." Soloway says: "I can't say that I can create a show about a trans woman and not have a trans woman writing for me." However, Kohan's response contradicts, stating, "I have trouble with, like, what you are in life shouldn't automatically make you what you do in your art. It doesn't necessarily translate." However, it is worth noting that Kohan specifically hired a trans actress to play the role of Sophia for her show to have "the real deal."
Soloway and Kohan also had varying opinions on how sex scenes should be made. According to Kohan, creating "an honest scene" is what's important, while Soloway wants to "turn people on" but also wanted to present the scene in a woman's perspective and avoid objectifying them, shares Vulture.
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