Will the real “Queen of Atlanta” please stand up?! The natives and residents go hard with everything attached to the city’s name when it comes to Atlanta. Whether it’s sports, entertainment, food, or the culture in general, ATLiens are very prideful. When it comes to having the title “Queen of Atlanta,” the self-proclaimed Queen, Akbar […]
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As a nonbinary femme person who has always stressed the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in television and film, I can confidently say that very few shows are better at shifting standards and outsmarting stereotypes than Sex Education. Take for example Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa), whose character development is based on the intersection of his religious background, Nigerian/Ghanian roots, and queerness. The show’s first nonbinary character, Cal (played by Dua Saleh), is equally fleshed out, which further demonstrates Sex Education‘s ability to portray queer characters without reducing them to token caricatures or stereotypes.
Just like their character in the show, Saleh is also nonbinary, which gives this portrayal a key layer of authenticity. Not only do we see a queer BIPOC character, but also an actor whose personal identity aligns with their role – something that’s unfortunately rare. Having a nonbinary actor like Saleh play Cal makes the character that much more relatable.
Not only do we get a queer actor of color in a high-profile role, but also the actor’s personal identity aligns with their character – something we don’t always see enough of in queer roles.
Trans and gender nonconforming characters are finally starting to be written more into television and film – albeit often with less depth than their cis counterparts. Cal is the antithesis of this, which is why the character is so engaging. One of Cal’s first lines in the show is them casually telling Vivienne and Jackson that their pronouns are they/them. This scene is so nonchalant that I don’t view it as a “coming out,” as much as Cal saying a basic truth about themselves without caring how their peers will respond. I love that the writers frame it that way.
One particular highlight is Cal’s developing relationship with Jackson throughout the season. Jackson is not entirely familiar with queer culture until Cal comes into his life, which is something that a lot of nonbinary folks face in the world of friendship and dating. The labor of educating our peers, families, and significant others often falls on our shoulders, and it can get exhausting. The fact that the writers portray Jackson as a bit confused and Cal as level-headed and strong-willed is refreshing and closer to real life. During an interview with Them, Saleh commented on Cal’s empathetic personality, and how it was integral to the queerness of the character.
“Cal is sensitive to perception and to gendered readings from other people, specifically in this scenario,” Saleh said. “They’re aware of the lack of access to information that Jackson may have. They’re aware that they care about Jackson really deeply, but they also are aware that they have to take care of their needs to take care of their spirit. So when they asked Jackson how he perceives them and if Jackson understands what queerness is, in a way, that was Cal taking care of both of them.”
Another highlight of Cal’s relationship with Jackson is that they both help each other realize that they deserve better than the cards they’ve been dealt. While Jackson encourages Cal to protest the tyrannical iron grip of the new headmistress of Moordale, Hope Haddon (Jemima Kirke), Cal helps Jackson free himself from the pressures of being head boy. This doesn’t feel forced either – they both naturally bring out the best in each other.
I wish I would have seen a character like Cal on television as a kid. If I had, I would have been able to better understand my own skewed relationship with my gender identity growing up.
But the part of Cal’s story arc that I find most relatable are the moments when they aren’t entirely sure of themself. Pressured to conform to gender norms at school, Cal questions if it’s worth the mental anguish to try to validate their existence. As a gender nonconforming person who uses she/they pronouns, I’ve found that the only people who seem to respect my pronouns are my other queer friends. Older members of my family, and even some of my straight, cisgender friends, have only ever used she/her pronouns to describe me. Even now, I’m still not entirely sure if I am willing to undertake the emotional labor of confronting them about it.
This is why seeing nonbinary characters who get to have moments where they are both confident and vulnerable is so important. I wish I would have seen a character like Cal on television as a kid. If I had, I would have been able to better understand my own skewed relationship with my gender identity growing up.
Love that journey for her! Annie Murphy recalled doing some mental “spring cleaning” after her role as Alexis Rose on Schitt’s Creek came to an end in 2020. After six seasons on the comedy, the Canadian actress, 34, landed the lead role of Allison McRoberts on Kevin Can F**k Himself, which premiered in June. Ahead […]
While Nick Cannon has expressed no desire to slow down the baby-making, he says his therapist has other plans for him. According to New York Daily News, the father of seven revealed his therapist believes he should practice celibacy after having all those kids, 4 of whom were born within a year’s span. “Think about […]
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The Gabby Petito investigation has been called a disaster on multiple fronts. First, there were the police who were called to confront the YouTuber and her boyfriend Brian Laundrie over a domestic violence call only to let the couple go, logging it as a “mental health crisis” on her part. That was less than two weeks before her […]
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The post Gabby Petito Murder Bears Striking Similarities To ANOTHER Case: Lauren Cho, Missing Since June appeared first on Perez Hilton.
Elon Musk and his girlfriend, Canadian singer Grimes, are “semi-separated” after three years together, the billionaire chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX told Page Six in a story published on Friday.The publication quoted Musk as saying the pair, who …
Major mix up? Sutton Stracke set the record straight on her feud with Lisa Rinna regarding Elton John’s Oscars party a few years ago. “I didn’t know it was going to blow up like this,” the 50-year-old star exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, September 24. “I don’t know — the things I say sometimes […]
TSR Prayers Up: Singer Kelly Price is reportedly missing in Georgia after being released from the hospital where she was fighting COVID, TMZ reports. According to officials in Cobb County, Kelly Price has been officially listed as a missing person after police conducted a welfare check at her home last weekend. Authorities said they found […]
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Whew! It looks like those coins won’t be spent on layaway at Walmart this holiday season. It looks like the company—which had $559 billion total revenue in 2020—has decided to get rid of its layaway program. This allowed customers to hold their items with a deposit and make interest-free, periodic payments until they paid their […]
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Madonna couldn’t be happier for Britney Spears! During the New York premiere of her new documentary Madame X on Thursday, the 63-year-old icon revealed to Entertainment Tonight that she spoke with Britney over the phone earlier in the day. Related: Britney Spears Doesn’t Want Jamie Meddling With Her Prenup — Check Out The Court Docs […]
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The post Madonna Reveals She Checked In On Britney Spears After Her Engagement News! appeared first on Perez Hilton.
During a time where protection is indeed a priority, a couple with a newborn baby went out to eat only to be turned away because they decided to wear face masks, @CNN reports. Protecting their immunocompromised 4-month-old son, Natalie Wester and her husband Jose Lopez-Guerrero joined friends at the “Time Sports Grill & Bar,” located […]
The post Texas Couple Kicked Out Of Restaurant For Wearing Face Masks—Owner Says, ‘I Don’t Want Any Masks In Here’ appeared first on The Shade Room.