Transformation Street – how I sold my soul to reality TV

Transformation Street – how I sold my soul to reality TV

(Picture: Alex Lake) About a week ago, some keen eyed ITV viewers tweeted me to say I’d been ‘spotte..

Transformation Street - how I sold my soul to reality TV
(Picture: Alex Lake)

About a week ago, some keen eyed ITV viewers tweeted me to say I’d been ‘spotted’ in a trailer for a forthcoming documentary series, Transformation Street. I’d been outed.

Reader, I am indeed reality TV fodder.

I haven’t spoken about my involvement for two reasons.

The first, obviously, is that I’d signed a non-disclosure agreement.

ITV didn’t want another channel stealing their format: in this case, a Wimpole Street clinic that specialises in surgeries for transgender men and women.

The second, more personally, was that I feared a backlash against my involvement.

You see, my job description – broadly – is author, journalist and activist.

In my capacity as a teen author, I’ve been all over the world talking to young people about what it means to be transgender.

I was already a bestseller before I ‘came out’, so I was a ‘trans role model’, whether I wanted to be one or not.

I do not resent transitioning in the public eye.

I know a lot of my readers are going through the same process that I am, and I am happy to be visible so they know they’re not alone. I know, admirable, right?

But with that status comes increased scrutiny.

I’ve learned over the last few years that women in the media – and especially women from minority groups – are subject to magnifying glass levels of inspection.

Every word you say, every tweet you send, ever quote you give, can be extrapolated, manipulated and misquoted.

For evidence, see the curious case of L’Oreal vs Munroe Bergdorf.

I knew that taking part in a show which associates trans people with a clinic would be controversial.

This does, to an extent, further the myth that all transgender people seek surgeries.

This is absolutely not the case.

There is no one way to be transgender.

The danger is that shows like Transformation Street reduce the process of living authentically in your correct gender to a ‘makeover’.

Undergoing gender transition is so much more, so much deeper than a nose job or a haircut, take it from me. If only it were that easy.

So why do it?

My participation came about by chance.

I’d interviewed surgeon Christopher Inglefield for my Glamour Magazine column on the topic of female beauty and, a few weeks later, the clinic emailed me to tell me Transformation Street was already in production and would I like to be involved.

Plastic surgeon Christopher Inglefield (Picture: ITV/Renegade Pictures)
Plastic surgeon Christopher Inglefield (Picture: ITV/Renegade Pictures)

I met with the production team and was satisfied that the (wholly cisgender) team was determined to portray trans people in a sympathetic, but not victimised, role.

I was considering the facial feminisation procedures you see me go through, so I listened.

What clinched it in the end was the fact it was going out at 9pm on ITV1.

Yes, transgender people have appeared in documentaries before, but this one had to potential to reach an audience who may not have seen us in My Transsexual Summer or Orange Is The New Black.

My mum, for example, still doesn’t seem aware there are more than three channels.

Moreover, the show was going ahead with or without me, at least on the inside I could help to shape the conversation.

And so I signed up.

I’ve been on the telly enough times to know what I was getting into.

It’s tiring. Being filmed for any amount of time requires phenomenal mental dexterity in order that you don’t ‘trip up’ or say anything stupid.

For seven minutes on Good Morning Britain, this is straightforward.

When a crew is following you around for days on end, the odds of you splurting out something which will offend thousands of people go up exponentially.

I have ‘tripped up’ in interviews before and the repercussions can be messy.

(Picture: Juno Dawson)
Me post-surgery (Picture: Juno Dawson)

Working with cisgender (non-trans) producers and directors has its own pitfalls too.

As well as being a subject, it fell to me, often, to ‘educate’ the team.

This dual role is something all transgender people in the media are burdened with.

‘Can we say that?’ a researcher or producer would ask. ‘Is that politically correct?’

Furthermore there’s a minefield of clichés and stereotypes to dodge.

Was I asked to provide pictures of me as a child? Yes – I said no, it’s naff.

Was I repeatedly asked to discuss my genitals? Yes – I said no, it’s intrusive.

In both cases, the team attempted to go over my head to acquire these details from my family.

I’m sure you can imagine how that went down when I found out. This is quite standard practise on most reality TV formats.

I understand they are trying to create satisfying narratives for television.

This will always be the end goal of the producers. It is their job.

Anyone entering into a reality TV agreement should be aware of this.

There was last minute drama when it was, briefly, proposed that the series would be called Sex Change Clinic.

Having just written a book (The Gender Games) which details in great length why ‘sex change’ is hideously outmoded vernacular, I threw the most diva-ish strop of my entire career.

I threatened to pull consent (something contributors should also be aware is in their power).

I simply wouldn’t put my name to Sex Change Clinic.

This was a crying shame as, by this point, I’d seen the series and thought it was sensitive and warm.

Why, then, stick a gross title on it? ‘Sex’ sells?

I suggested Sex Change And The City because at least that has a sense of humour, but I’m told HBO weren’t happy.

Thankfully, Transformation Street shouldn’t offend too many people…oh who am I kidding?!

It’s a documentary about transgender people! Of course people will be offended!

You can bet your ass I’m coming off Twitter for a week of so.

But, in the end, I am proud to be involved.

I hope, after a patchy 2017, 2018 can be the year transgender people aren’t feared, pitied or ‘debated’.

I sincerely think Transformation Street is as informative as it is amusing and moving.

And, if nothing else, you can see me getting scalped on the operating table.

Transformation Street is a three-part series starting tonight (Thursday, January 11) at 9pm on ITV.

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