After criticism for partaking in transface, Scarlett Johansson will not play transgender character Dante "Tex" Gill in Rub & Tug. After weeks of asking her to step down, the LGBT community is celebrating her for accepting the criticism and respecting the transgender community.
“Scarlett Johansson’s announcement, together with the transgender voices who spoke out about this film, are game changers for the future of transgender images in Hollywood,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of the LGBT media organization GLAAD. “Hollywood changed how Americans understand gay and lesbian lives, and TV is starting to do the same for transgender people with authentic transgender portrayals being major hits with critics and audiences. The film industry has a real opportunity to do the same."
Now the celebration begins. Here are some of the best hot takes from Twitter on Johansson's act of humility.
None— Out Magazine (@Out Magazine) 1531504835
\u201cgood on ScarJo for fixing, LOL at the dumbs who defended her initial mistake https://t.co/ni8G00RgdL\u201d— Owen Ellickson (@Owen Ellickson) 1531506995
\u201cHere's hoping Dante Gill's story actually gets told and doesn't just get shelved because studios couldn't be bothered to find a trans man to headline their movie.\n\nhttps://t.co/9BloEMWt9d\u201d— Thomas Ricard (@Thomas Ricard) 1531506906
\u201c"It's just Twitter! It's just the internet!"\n\nYou all are going to *STOP* underestimating the access and voice that social media has given to marginalized folx to challenge these kinds of things from jump street.\n\nhttps://t.co/WCMKt5COri\u201d— There are no \u201cbad\u201d foods! (@There are no \u201cbad\u201d foods!) 1531506612
\u201c@outmagazine It\u2019s good that she made the decision to withdraw, but howcome there was no major backlash when Jared Leto, or Eddie Redmayne were playing trans characters?\u201d— Out Magazine (@Out Magazine) 1531504835
\u201c@outmagazine This is actually a good statement, which I was not expecting before I clicked through. I'm cis, so it's not up to me to say whether this absolves her, but at least it shows understanding of the issue instead of another "sorry if you were offended" apology.\u201d— Out Magazine (@Out Magazine) 1531504835
\u201c@THR joy \ud83d\udc4f\n#FridayFeeling\u201d— The Hollywood Reporter (@The Hollywood Reporter) 1531505762
\u201c@Variety \u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1531505506
\u201cThank you Scarlett Johansson for doing the right thing here and for a beautiful statement. #transisbeautiful #transgender #RubAndTug ==> Exclusive: Scarlett Johansson Withdraws From 'Rub & Tug' via @outmagazine https://t.co/ntgpQVgLIf\u201d— Danielle Solzman \ud83d\udd1c #TIFF22 (@Danielle Solzman \ud83d\udd1c #TIFF22) 1531505543
\u201c@outmagazine @MatthewACherry The god of the gays works in mysterious ways\u201d— Out Magazine (@Out Magazine) 1531504835
Who would you like to play Dante "Tex" Gill?
Sapphic outlaw moviesNew Line Cinema; A24; Samuel Goldwyn Company
Gay horror films 'Death Drop Gorgeous,' 'Midnight Kiss,' and 'Nightmare on Elm Street 2.'Dark Star Pictures; Hulu; New Line Cinema
