From Villain to Visibility: How Film Portrays Trans Lives

by Hallie Murray

For decades, film and television have done more than entertain -- they’ve shaped public perception. And too often, they’ve done so at the expense of marginalized communities. Transgender people, in particular, have long been subject to warped caricatures, depicted not as fully realized humans, but as dangerous, unstable, or absurd. These portrayals weren’t incidental -- they were deliberate, built for shock value, dramatic tension, or derision. They gave audiences permission to gawk, to fear, and to dismiss.

When trans characters appear on screen, they are often reduced to their gender identity. The nuances of personality, talent, and lived experience are flattened beneath the weight of stereotype. Rather than engaging critically with these depictions, many viewers retreat to social media, decrying “wokeness” and accusing creators of pushing an agenda. But this conversation isn’t about agendas. It’s about power. It’s about visibility. It’s about the right to exist in public without being villainized.

Negative representations of trans people are not new. Transphobic tropes have a long cinematic legacy. Even as trans activism gained momentum in the 1980s and 1990s, mainstream film largely ignored or vilified trans people. Take The Silence of the Lambs (1991), a film I revisited while writing this piece. Its antagonist, Buffalo Bill (played by Ted Levine) is explicitly described in the script as “not really trans,” yet the film repeatedly associates his gender nonconformity with psychological instability and homicidal violence. The visuals are unmistakable: Bill’s femininity is coded as deviant, disturbing, and deadly.

This kind of representation reinforces dangerous stereotypes -- trans people as delusional, unstable, and sick. If the film isn’t revolving around transgender identity, its implications are forever lasting and damaging. The film still depicts the community being misrepresented, leaving audiences with a skewed, harmful understanding of trans people.

After The Silence of the Lambs was released in 1991, it received justified backlash. Controversy with the film’s themes and character portrayals sparked debates. Activists from the Stonewall Foundation protested outside cinemas. Groups like ACT UP and Queer Nation joined the protests, continuing the legacy of the Stonewall uprising in 1969. They pushed back against harmful media narratives and galvanised the LGBTQ+ community. 

Thankfully, the media landscape has started to shift. Shows like Euphoria have ushered in more authentic portrayals, with trans actors like Hunter Schafer bringing complexity and vulnerability to the screen. Laverne Cox, among others, has used her visibility to amplify trans voices, challenging outdated narratives and offering stories rooted in truth rather than trauma.

These shifts matter. They signal progress. They create space for trans people to be seen not as villains or symbols, but as human beings.

 It’s sobering to realize how deeply media can shape public consciousness -- and how little accountability it has historically faced. A film like The Silence of the Lambs continues to influence many people’s perceptions today — as I discovered firsthand while watching it. And it’s not just older films. Harmful content is still being made, and social media can be a double-edged sword: while it gives trans people a platform, it can also amplify misinformation and fearmongering.

But asking for fair representation isn’t about being “woke” or “sensitive”. It’s about truth, honesty, and dignity. We don’t want outdated narratives that rely on fear or mockery. We want stories that reflect complexities, courage, and realities of trans lives - without turning identity into a plot twist.

Hallie Murray is a writer from a small town in the Scottish Borders. New to the world of writing, she is thrilled to be publishing her first piece for a magazine. With aspirations of breaking into entertainment journalism, Hallie draws inspiration from her love of musicals, jazz music, and all-day TV binges. You can find her blogging on Instagram at @murray_blogs.