Boy Meets World Accidentally Does a Trans Episode
Added 2021-06-04 02:15:08 +0000 UTC“Chick Like Me” (January 31, 1997)
Rider Strong’s Shawn Hunter is not canonically a trans character, but there is a season-four episode of Boy Meets World that gives you all the evidence you’d need to conclude that Shawn might be. For this extra-long episode — possibly our longest! — we are joined by Faati the Street, who explains why this one episode speaks volumes about the trans experience, even if it was not the intention of anyone involved in the episode’s creation.
Read Faati’s Twitter thread “The Silencing of the Shrew.”
Read Trina McGee’s 1999 L.A. Times column on Shawn and Angela’s interracial relationship.
Listen to Monday Afternoon Movie’s episode about the Linda Blair TV movie Stranger in Our House.
Listen to the Talking Simpsons episode that explains the Julia Sweeney/Dr. Hibbert connection.
The “Snake” anti-drug PSA that Glen mentions.
Samus Aran from Metroid is a trans woman.
Watch Drew’s video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons.
Buy Glen’s movie, Being Frank.
Support us on Patreon!
Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE’s Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter
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The episode’s outro track is “I Never Dance” by Crysalis, which is not on any of the streaming services so why not listen to it on YouTube?
Comments
I am also intrigued by the 'cut off' for entertainment. I am 42, and also felt I missed the Pokemon and Boy Meets World phase by a few years! Boy Meets World I could watch today, but at the time, it felt like it was 'for kids'. Never mind I was watching Duck Tales through high school.
Alan Defibaugh
2021-06-24 15:58:31 +0000 UTCGreat episode. And as someone who’s way older than “Boy Meets World”’s target demographics, and only became familiar with it in the last ten years, I think it’s quite an underrated show, and probably the best sitcom to air in the TGIF slot.
VeeAaaRrr
2021-06-07 20:48:56 +0000 UTCGod yes to Catman. Hawkeye is my Marvel guy.
Ryan Cores
2021-06-05 23:04:29 +0000 UTCGreat episode!
Erin Hardy
2021-06-04 20:54:50 +0000 UTCAs someone who works in Topanga Canyon fairly regularly (be jealous) I have to explain the name to my Midwestern family/friends several times a year, I never got the “missing the mark” detail until just now, though (I would just say “remember, Topanga was a hippy the first season? As were her parents? There are a lot of hippy/yoga people in Topanga Canyon.) But oh, my god, yes. I get it now. It IS pretty shitty as far as nature/a place in general is concerned. Like, Malibu is RIGHT THERE. And there’s a chipotle. And wifi. Just go to Malibu. Thank you for the nuanced explanation, that I will share going forward.
Kat Heagberg
2021-06-04 16:26:34 +0000 UTCI forgot to say, one small correction that isn't important to this episode, Angela's dad did appear in the storyline where Shawn and Angela broke up, and he helped Angela decide to get back together with Shawn, because she was afraid of hurting Shawn. And then he disappeared until he came back to write her off write before the finale. I do agree with the criticism of their handling of it. In fact, I hated the fact that they broke up Angela and Shawn and Cory and Topanga, because it genuinely felt like they only did that to create drama before cory and Topanga got married and then they had them get back together, but then Angela was written off the show at the end. It just felt disrespectful to the characters and the audience. It felt like they just couldn't figure out what to do with the characters.
Caitlin Pring
2021-06-04 14:52:51 +0000 UTCI lived right outside of Philly until I was 14 and I was obsessed with Boy Meets World. Rider Strong is such a strong actor and watching the growth of the character was one of the strongest aspects of the show. I loved Corey and Topanga, but Shawn and Angela was my first OTP. I'm a POC. My parents were an interracial couple, but I didn't see what many interracial couples on TV. About thus actual episode, I am so happy Mr. Feeny was supportive. Even if it was played for laughs. Rider Strong is absolutely amazing in this episode. Also, I really enjoyed Faati. I hope you bring them back.
Caitlin Pring
2021-06-04 06:23:25 +0000 UTC
