'Zoolander 2' News: Trans Activists Call for Movie Boycott
February is supposed to be a fun-filled month with the coming of "Zoolander 2," but transgender rights activists are calling on people to boycott the much-anticipated movie.
15 years of preparation means fans will most likely see amazing performances from Owen Wilson's Hansel McDonald and Ben Stiller's Derek Zoolander. Other big stars, such as the beautiful Penelope Cruz, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and even Justin Bieber, only suggest that the movie will be a hit.
However, a new petition has been raised online for moviegoers to boycott the film. This is because of Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of All, which was revealed in the recent trailer released.
Stiller's Zoolander asks All: "Are you a male or female model?" and Cumberbatch's character replies with "All is all." Owen's McDonald then enters the picture, asking All, "I think he's asking, do you have a hotdog or a bun?"
Sarah Rose, author of the petition, says the statements in the trailer are "transphobic." Rose also believes that Cumberbatch shouldn't have been chosen for the role. The petitioner, along with the rest of the 10,000 signatories, believe that the movie is merely mocking the transgender community with Cumberbatch taking on a non-binary role.
"By hiring a cis actor to play a non-binary individual in a clearly negative way, the film endorses harmful and dangerous perceptions of the queer community at large," the petition reads.
Many fans loved the trailer, obviously, with over 12 million views in five days, and almost 49,000 likes. However, Jennie Kermode, head of Trans Media Watch, told The Guardian that she also finds Cumberbatch's portrayal as offensive and not in line with how real transgender people are.
Kermode said that just like Rose, she would have been supportive of the movie if a trans artist was chosen to portray the role, instead of Cumberbatch, who is a straight guy. She also said Cumberbatch's portrayal only makes it even more confusing for the masses to understand how non-binary people would want to be seen.
"Zoolander 2" hits the big screens on Feb. 12, 2016.
