“The Assignment,” previously called “(Re)Assignment” starring Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney weaver, drew swift backlash from LGBTQ activists in September 2016 for what many considered to be a transphobic plot line.
And now that the trailer is out, reservations about this film seem valid.
A description for the film from Cinemablend in 2015 reads:
“The script, written by Hill from a story by Denis Hamill, centers on an ace assassin who is double-crossed by gangsters and falls into the hands of rogue surgeon known as ‘The Doctor,’ who turns him into a woman. The hitman (now a hitwoman) sets out for revenge, aided by a nurse named Johnnie, who also has secrets.”
Late last year, Rodriguez posted the following photo Instagram, along with a bizarre caption walking through the film’s plot line and laying out the forced gender confirmation surgery her character goes through.
When the film first began making waves, GLAAD took a stand against the project, saying that it could provide setbacks for the transgender community.
“We haven’t read the script, but it’s disappointing to see filmmakers turning what is a life-saving medical procedure for transgender people into a sensationalistic plot device,” Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Programs for Transgender Media, told The Huffington Post in 2016. “We are at a crucial moment in the public’s understanding of transgender issues, and stories like these have the potential to undermine the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
With a few examples of amazing portrayals of what it means to be trans finally reaching mainstream media, it’s disappointing to see something so problematic headed to theaters.
Let us know what you think about the trailer for the film in the comments section below.
