SNL Estro-maxx Commercial

Saturday Night Live has scored another win for transphobia with this sketch from their latest episode.  Watch it at NBC.

The spot begins:

Let’s face it:  life is pretty busy.  Even when you’re not working it seems like millions of other things suddenly come up.  So if you’re like me, a busy guy and a pre-op transsexual in his third month of hormone treatment, you need an estrogen supplement that works for your schedule.

The commercial provides its first piece of visual shock humor with a shot of the narrator in panty hose and, after a quick scene cut, sporting a bouncy new pair of breasts.  The sketch continues to score its hits with repeated showings of male actors in women’s clothing, most of them sporting facial hair.

SNL – or any other sketch comedy show – really isn’t on any kind of new ground with putting men with facial hair into women’s clothing.  The only slightly novel element is that they’re targeting transgender women through a hormone therapy regimen ad.  I wouldn’t know where to begin in trying to explain just why this is offensive – I’m really struck a little speechless.  All I can really say is good job, guys.  You found a way to make a marginalized and misunderstood minority look stupid on TV.  I’m sure that must have been quite a challenge.

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

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