In media we are being told that there are not enough trans actors. The message being conveyed to trans people is not entirely accurate. Producers are having a hard time finding "trained and experienced" actors. Articles on the subject are leaving that part out. The same trained and experienced actors keep getting the roles over and over again.
What Hollywood producers and directors are really saying is, "We can't find enough qualified, experienced trans actors to fill all the ideas we come up with for what we think a trans person looks like. We need trans actors who've had the best in actor training, and been on plenty of good shows to prove they can act on the level the rest of the cast is at."
Would you go in for surgery done by a surgeon who just read a book about it yesterday and *says* they can do surgery, but has never been to school, nor even been in an operating room before? I'd say not.
So if you want to be one of those actors with training and experience, you need to pursue that with a passion. That's what we're all looking for.
Are you pursuing acting with a passion? Is it a dream of yours? Have you put in the time to study your craft?
Sometimes trans people have pursued their dream before they transitioned. But after transitioning they see starting over as a daunting task, and become discouraged. Some of those people can be the people I find can be a gold mine of great creativity and are genuinely good a their craft. Do you fit into that category?
Should you pursue a career in acting?
On the other hand, some people don't pursue their dream because they think there's no opportunity for them once they've gotten that training and experience. But we all had no idea when all this was going to start looking up for the trans community,nor how long it could last. It's a gamble one would have to take, but that's the same for any career. Decades ago,there was a huge emphasis on people becoming computer programmers, then came a glut of them, and many had to switch careers after getting hardly any experience in the field. I had that happen tome - this is my third lifetime career.
So, if acting, writing, directing, producing, dancing, singing, or anything else in the entertainment field is a passion - pursue it!
- Ann Thomas