Earlier this year, Amazon released a series of pilot episodes and let Amazon users decide which would be picked up for full seasons, based on which received the most views and praise. One of these shows was Transparent, a comedy from Jill Soloway about a transgender woman coming out to her adult children.
Well, good news! According to The Advocate, Amazon has officially picked up Transparent for a full 10-episode season, airing on Amazon Prime.
Soloway discussed collaborating with trans advocates and community leaders during the creation of the show, saying, “I’m so inspired by taking all of the aspects of the conversation and being able to treat them with the fullness of having a series set around these questions. I don’t even think most American people would be able to explain the difference between what they would call a cross-dresser and a trans woman — somebody who has socially transitioned or medically transitioned.”
Series on new media tend to get downplayed a bit since they’re not held to the same standards as traditional television, but one thing they do have over the boob tube: they offer a much broader range of voices, and it’s great to see shows like this popping up and garnering public attention.