IMHO: "Real World: Brooklyn" (Ep. 9): "Ask a Transsexual"

This episode leaves JD in the dust, but a healthy serving of transgender enlightenment makes me thrilled about Katelynn’s inclusion in the season. Though she sometimes comes off as annoying, my opinions of her character are far less manic than the sexy JD.

But a boy can dream.

While I'm dreaming, so are the roommates in Brooklyn, who are busy chasing their goals in episode nine. However, it’s only Katelynn’s dream of transgender youth outreach that we get to see realized by the end of the hour.

Her outreach begins with Chet, when he comes to her looking for some answers. This time it’s not Magnum-sized condoms he’s inquisitive about, it’s Katelynn’s sexual reassignment surgery provoking his curiosity. Unlike other hetero boys (ahem, Ryan), Chet says the curiosity stems from a desire to make Katelynn more comfortable around him.

Once the conversation begins, important (and, unfortunately, fleeting) dialog takes place between the two:

“Before your operation, clearly people would assume you were gay; but you, in your mind … you’re female, so it’s not gay,” remarks Chet.

"Ask a transsexual"
 

“It’s hard to separate gender identity from sexuality. Trans youth really struggle with that. It’s sort of like, ‘Well, I don’t fit into the gay community, I definitely don’t fit into the straight community. Where the hell do I fit in?’," Katelynn responds.

“I’m trying to think if I have any more questions.”

“Well, you can always play ask a transsexual.”

“It’s my new favorite game!”

But the kinship and understanding are short-lived.

With Ryan now in the frame, Chet presses Katelynn for the location of her dilation stents so he can use them as tools in a prank. My hope of Chet becoming a liaison that bridges the LGBT and Mormon communities expires as fast as his maturity.

Continuing the serious exchange of dialog that’s nonexistent in mainstream media, Katelynn tells Baya that she didn’t expect to live to see the age of 20. During a confessional she hints that her transition is responsible for saving her life, and mentions her web project for transgender youth.

The episode also touches on the other roommates’ Big Apple opportunities, such as: Devyn becoming a publicist for a gown designer; Sarah’s last-minute modeling gig; Baya following her inner dance beat; and Ryan’s talent for punchy songwriting.

But it’s Chet’s video hosting career that consumes most of the hour.

After securing a hard-sought audition with MTV, the curious boy from SLC lets his nerves get the better of him once faced with a studio camera. Like every good Katy Perry-lovin’ gay or lesbian, it only takes one swipe of cherry Chapstick before he’s back in the game.

The taste of cherry Chapstick
 

Pop anthem memes aside, as the episode wraps up our gay attention returns to Katelynn’s devotion to the transgender community. In the final minutes of the show, we watch as the roommates attend the launch party for her web site. It’s the hetero housemates who display a level of support and love that reveal my latent optimism for the future, via younger generations.

"Ask a transsexual" goes live...

After the launch, conversation (which I’m willing to bet might be life-saving dialog) continues between Chet and Katelynn. Thanks to their open discourse, this week’s episode ends on a note that sums up the season, IMHO: groundbreaking and relevant.

Anytime this breakthrough Real World cast touches on LGBT issues (particularly on the T), I find the episode worthy of much more than an up-arrow. Suicide rates among LGBT youth (again, with a disparaging emphasis on the T) are too high to not echo the conversation the reality series puts out there.

How do you feel about this week’s discussions of gender identity? What do you think about Chet’s curiosity of the subject? What’s your opinion of Katelynn as a role-model for the trans community?