HBO's Euphoria Lets Its Trans Character Be a Horny Teenager

Euphoria, the gritty, Drake-produced teen drama starring Spider-Man: Far From Home star Zendaya, debuted on HBO last night and offered a nuanced take on the sexuality of its trans character Jules.

Played beautifully by openly trans actress Hunter Schafer, Jules' storyline isn't necessarily about her gender, but how she navigates moving to a new town and high school. She gets into trouble, sneaks out of the house, sets up a hookup, and attends a messy high school party—just like everyone else. 

"Most trans women on TV are either sexless martyrs or sex workers. Never before have we seen a teenage trans girl on Grindr looking for someone to play with," wrote Out's Rose Dommu. "Jules is a complicated teenager whose sexual identity doesn’t center on a desire for bottom surgery—as groundbreaking as Pose is, almost every trans character who has expressed sexual desire has also expressed a hatred for their genitals. Like the rest of Euphoria’s main characters, Jules is simply allowed to be a horny teenager, something incredibly refreshing for a young trans girl on television."

Watch the trailer for Euphoria below.