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speeches. “It also continues my exploration of the troubled history
of HRT and it’s use in the liberation of trans bodies as well as
contributing to the eradication of the crone in our culture. It uses
ritual, fire and song to draw all these elements together!” Also
drawing on Frankland’s work and observations on a shifting social
landscape, last month saw the publication of None of Us is Yet
a Robot, Five Performances on Gender Identity and the Politics
of Transition. Spanning those seven years and five innovative
performances, alongside a collection of writings, it charts trans
experience in modern Britian.
This culmination of Frankland’s current ouvre comes at a time
when trans-narratives are increasingly assimilated and diluted
by cisgender productions, which in turn establishes unhelpful
stereotypes. “I don’t doubt that many productions feel they are
being supportive, but if you don’t have trans people playing
significant roles on your production team you shouldn’t be making
that work. And I definitely want an end to cis actors portraying trans
Credit © Maurizio Martorana media, the internet and social media has radically improved the
people, it’s unhelpful and needs to stop.” Away from mainstream
ways in which queer and trans people can access knowledge and
community. There have been many positive campaigns recently
in the face of negative events. Movements like #blacklivesmatter
#metoo #lwiththet #nomorewhiteignorance and #notadebate have
changed the way in which we discuss certain subjects. Sadly, it’s
also provided tools to attack, spread misinformation and defame
trans women. “We see again and again that the short form of
social media is a dangerous and poor medium to have such a
conversation.”

Frankland also sits at odds with dated concepts be systemically unbalanced and unfair. The prison
like ‘passing’, as it connotes an idea of being right industrial complex, legal structures, the mainstream
or wrong. “I prefer using the terminology ‘read media - all are controlled by people in positions
as’ as it puts the responsibility on the viewer. For of traditional power. “Art is a place where we can
example - if I fail to ‘pass’ as a woman in your eyes make the rules and express ourselves freely and
the inference is that I have failed. Whereas if you on our terms. There is a renaissance occurring,
fail to “read me” as a woman, then that is because especially in work made by trans artists - we don’t
of the limitations on your understanding of what a fully know what that will look like as we begin to see
woman may look like, and not because I have done larger collaborations… but we will find out soon.”
anything wrong.” She says we encounter problems
when a trans person is perceived to be pretending Emma Frankland’s Hearty comes to Brighton’s
to be something they are not. This scan still result Marlborough Theatre on Tues 9 July as part of the
in violence, so sadly ‘passing’ will be important to Trans Pride season.
certain people when the alternative may result in
grave danger. Social attitudes need to change, not None of Us is Yet a Robot, Five Performances on
how people dress. Gender Identity and the Politics of Transition is
available now vis Oberon Books.
There’s an increasing need for art made by
people with marginalised identities. Too often
people are forced into justifying themselves or
defending stances using structures designed to

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