Scarlett Johansson is being attacked after being cast in a transgender role.  Rub & Tug is based on the life of Jean Marie Gill – who was born female but lived life as a man and ran massage parlors and a prostitution ring.  Politically correct people claim that Johansson is taking the role away from a transgender actor…because there are so many gifted trans actors at Scarlett’s level of fame.  Johansson’s reps said, “Tell them they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.”  It should be noted that both Jean Marie Gill and Scarlett Johansson were born with vaginas, so I think that gives ScarJo at least a foot in the door (if not a vaj).  This is not the first time her casting has been called into question.  Last year, she played a character that was based on an anime of a Japanese woman.  Not coincidentally, both projects are directed by Rupert Sanders.

When films about LGBT topics started being produced, we applauded celebrated actors taking on the roles and helping to tell our stories.  By having a name attached to a project, it ensured the film could be made – such as Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, Vanessa Redgrave in The Renee Richards Story, etc.  Then the tide turned and people complained that these non-LGBT actors were taking roles away from LGBT actors.  However, people also say that gay actors should be able to play any role.  But when a gay actor plays a straight character, aren’t they taking a role away from a straight actor?  I believe the best actor should get the role – period.