Why you should watch the groundbreaking trans web series ‘Her Story’ (VIDEO)
‘Her Story’ was recently nominated for an Emmy, but that’s not the only reason why you need to watch this show.
The web series ‘Her Story’ is radically different than other films and TV series that follow the lives of trans people, because it actually cast trans actors as its leads.
The success of Amazon series ‘Transparent’ and the film ‘The Danish Girl’ have thrust trans people into mainstream media, but both are written by and feature cisgender people.
‘Her Story’ is the first series to break through this mold, starring the trans actresses Jen Richards and Angelica Ross, and also co-written and co-produced by Richards.
The series follows the dating lives of two trans women in Los Angeles, Violet (Richards) and Paige (Ross).
Violet is a waitress new to the city and is being interviewed about the experiences of trans women for a local LGBT publication by Allie (played by series co-writer Laura Zak) – whom she begins to develop feelings for.
Paige is a successful attorney who has begun dating James, but worries about disclosing that she is trans because she is unsure of what his reaction will be.
Ross told The Advocate that ‘Her Story’ is a way of telling an authentic trans story from “the inside out”.
“Up until this point, most portrayals of trans stories have been from the outside in. ‘Her Story’ gives audiences a fresh perspective from the inside out. Much of the heart of ‘Her Story’ comes from many of the experiences and conversations Jen and I had while living together in Chicago.”
This authenticity shines through in the series’ exploration of the diverse experiences of trans people – specifically beyond the transition period.
The series has been nominated for a newly-created Emmy category, Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama, and Zak and Richards hope the recognition will help them to get the show picked up by a major network or platform.
“We absolutely want to make more show… Our goal is to develop a full first season of the show versus making more of the web series,” Zak said.
Watch the trailer below, and the full first season on YouTube.
