Scarlett Johansson Has a Characteristically Bullshit Response to the Backlash of Her Playing a Trans Character

Scarlett Johansson has a history of poor responses to criticisms about the roles she has taken, especially when it comes from marginalized communities.

When people addressed the whitewashing issues in Ghost in the Shell, she responded that she thought it was important to be a part of a female-led franchise and used feminism as a shield from critics. Now, when people have rightfully, called her out for playing a trans man in an upcoming film called Rub & Tug—because the real-life person she is playing, Dante “Tex” Gill who lived as a transgender man—not a cisgender woman, guess what.

She responded in typical Johansson fashion.

Johansson’s rep provided this comment on Rub & Tug to Bustle, from the actor herself, after Bustle reached out to her for a statement: “Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.”

Um.

Um.

Is this your Black Widow?

First of all, has she not read/watched anything about trans rights or activism in the past 5 years. All of those examples have been called out by the trans community and allies who say it is bullshit that it keeps happening, but here she is supporting that same reductive casting.

Secondly, I don’t understand why her rep thought this was a statement that should go out. I mean come on. Scarlett Johansson is not struggling for roles and there is no reason why she or any other cis-actor should be taking work away from a transactor. Literally Pose is on television, trans people need to be a part of trans narratives.

But beyond Scar Jo because she’s the talent, the people who cast her deserve a lot of this heat as well, because why would you cast her in … oh it’s from the same people who did the Ghost in the Shell movie? Got it.

(via Vivian Kane)

(via e. oliver whitney‘s Twitter , image: Marvel)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com

Author

Close

Princess Weekes

Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy. Still lives in Brooklyn with her over 500 Pokémon that she has Eevee trained into a mighty army. Team Zutara forever.

twitter