Shrek musical forced to change script due to transphobic slur
A production of Shrek: The Musical has been forced to undergo changes to its script after complaints for using a transphobic slur.
During the first act of the musical, the Big Bag Wolf was called a “tranny” for wearing a dress.
Ky Greyson, a transgender man, reportedly walked out of the production once hearing the slur and spoke to CBC News about the upsetting experience.
“It was really a good production, but I remember hearing the word used and the entire crowd bursting out laughing and just my heart dropping.”
Greyson said that the wolf was constantly made fun of for “cross-dressing” and that there was “very dehumanising jokes” in the production.
“If we’re teaching kids in the audience that if this is to be mocked, this is to be ridiculed, we’re perpetuating self-hate in people who may be trans women or trans feminine people at a young age and also continuing this myth and understanding of what trans people are.”
Greyson contacted Neptune Theatre who runs the Shrek production and managed to sit down with them and explain why the jokes upset him.
A Neptune Theatre spokeswoman emailed CBC News and said that changes have been made to the production.
“We were upset to learn that one of our productions created a feeling of distress among members of the LGBTQ community in Halifax and changes were made immediately to remove content once we became aware of the situation.”
“Neptune has spoken and met with these members of the LGBTQ community to express our apologies and to learn from this experience.”
Greyson hopes that Neptune Theatre staff will be more critical when choosing their next show.
“I know that me and the friends who’d seen the show in the trans community were so taken off-guard that those were the words that were used in a situation that was supposed to theoretically promote acceptance.”
“I just hope for an improvement in the future. I look forward to seeing those shows because I really do love Neptune.”
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