Popsugar Entertainment Out Loud Scarlett Johansson Transgender Rub & Tug Movie Controversy Scarlett Johansson Faces Backlash for Playing a Transgender Man in New Film 4 July 2018 by Mekishana Pierre Image Source: Getty A year after Scarlett Johansson and director Rupert Sanders landed in hot water over their Ghost in the Shell adaptation, the pair are facing backlash once again for their newest project. On Monday, Deadline broke the news that New Regency won an auction for Rub & Tug, a film based on the true story of Dante "Tex" Gill, who prospered in Pittsburgh's 1970s and 1980s massage parlor and prostitution business. Jonhansson has been cast as Gill, a transgender man who was born as Lois Jean Gill. Backlash quickly arose at the idea that Johansson, a cisgender woman, would portray a transgender man, especially after both she and Sanders received so much backlash for the whitewashing in Ghost in the Shell. Gill very publicly lived as a man; ScreenCrush revealed several bits from his obituary that highlighted this, including the fact that Gill "insisted [he] was a man" who wanted to be known as "Mr. Gill." To further contention, when asked to comment on the reaction to her role in Rub & Tug Johansson's rep told Bustle, "Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman's reps for comment." The flippant response completely disregards the fact that while, yes, cisgender actors have played transgender roles and received great praise (and prestigious awards), they've also faced immense backlash because this creates fewer opportunities for trans actors. The online community has not been shy about addressing the controversy, since this would be strike two against Johansson and Sanders when it comes to appropriating identity. Scarlett Johansson received considerable backlash for Ghost in the Shell, when she played a whitewashed Asian character. The movie tanked. Undeterred, she has teamed up WITH THE SAME DIRECTOR to play a trans male character in Rub & Tug. When asked to comment, she said: pic.twitter.com/ftgGREncHa— April (@ReignOfApril) July 3, 2018 1 / 20 A cursory glance at Tex Gill's history shows he wasn't a crossdresser. He was transgender. THESE ARE NOT THE SAME THING, @Deadline. https://t.co/CIo1RXLopE via @deadline— Donna Dickens (@MildlyAmused) July 3, 2018 2 / 20 What the fuuuuucccckkkStop putting cis people in trans roles.Stop putting cis people in trans roles. Stop putting cis people in trans roles. Stop putting cis people in trans roles. Stop putting cis people in trans roles. Stop putting cis people in t https://t.co/VUqxwYUrFX— Gabriel D Vidrine - On Vacation (@MxEmber) July 3, 2018 3 / 20 First the Japanese, and now Scarlett Johansson is taking on the trans community with her new film Rub and Tug. I can't wait until her Rosa Parks film comes out. https://t.co/nbmoMkoNlN— Valerie Vza Complex (@ValerieComplex) July 3, 2018 4 / 20 “This cis misunderstanding and exploitation of trans people can’t be problematic because look at how all these other cis people misunderstood and exploited trans people and got awards for it!” 🤬 https://t.co/p3CedbbXXQ— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) July 3, 2018 5 / 20 Dear Hollywood, here are the rules we the Trans decided: Until the world stops erasing/oppressing/murdering us, trans women play trans women, trans men play trans men, nonbinary people play NB people. If your project needs a “star” for financing, then it’s simply not good enough.— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) July 3, 2018 6 / 20 Scarlett Johansson is playing a trans man in her next movie because her ultimate career goal is to take an acting job from a member of each and every marginalized group.— Faith Choyce (@faithchoyce) July 3, 2018 7 / 20 Scarlett Johansson has proven time again that she is not much of an ally when it gets in the way of her personal advancement. I hope this new movie will be rewarded in the same way as GitS - mediocre reviews and a box office failure.— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) July 3, 2018 8 / 20 The fucking hubris of invoking Tambor with this response when he was literally fired from playing a trans woman for sexually harassing several of us. Way to really underline that you openly disdain the community you’re happy to portray for prestige ScarJo. https://t.co/tj3GqIVh3B— Riley Silverman 🏳️🌈 (@rileyjsilverman) July 3, 2018 9 / 20 so does scarlett johansson just have a bucket list of inappropriate identities she's working through portraying, or...https://t.co/6e17pxmi2h— moth dad (@innesmck) July 3, 2018 10 / 20 Hey, remember when Scarlett Johansson told James Franco she wanted his Time's Up pin back then went to dinner with her best pal Woody Allen?— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) July 3, 2018 11 / 20 Scarlett Johansson had to know there would be justified pushback on her playing a trans man in a new movie. But WOW at this "update."Is she insinuating her right to a play a trans man is a White Feminist™ issue bc cis white actors have played trans women? I'm disgusted. pic.twitter.com/V0a43UAJu5— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) July 3, 2018 12 / 20 Many other actors have stepped down or refused roles upon realizing they were literally not made for them. Scarlett Johansson is actively making the choice of accepting roles that hurt the non-white and non-cis community. It’s not a difficult situation. She’s a selfish human.— hereforleon (@noctokaz) July 3, 2018 13 / 20 Oh word?? So you can continue to play us but we can’t play y’all? Hollywood is so fucked... I wouldn’t be as upset if I was getting in the same rooms as Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett for cis roles, but we know that’s not the case. A mess. https://t.co/s8gBlBI1Sw— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) July 4, 2018 14 / 20 there are literally so many trans actors that could’ve been cast in this role. why do we keep casting Scarlett Johansson in roles where she doesn’t fit the criteria? https://t.co/nnD7PKH5Gc— anthony amorim is lo:st (@AnthonyAmorim) July 3, 2018 15 / 20 Scarlett Johansson is hateful, selfish trash who has had harder opinions about being called "ScarJo" than accepting roles that she has no business taking.And no, she's not a struggling actress so "everybody's gotta eat" doesn't (and never will) apply. Not even close. https://t.co/zO8vSb8yvc— Shannon Miller (@Phunky_Brewster) July 3, 2018 16 / 20 Hollywood: We're making another film that touches on the life of a trans individual.Me: Oh!! Maybe this will be good this ti--Hollywood: *Casts Scarlett Johansson as a Trans Man, is the same director as Ghost in the Shell, refers to being Transgender as a sexuality* pic.twitter.com/9pEIqRPdKJ— Penni Smith @ AX, but also Eevee wear hat (@PenPhiVA) July 3, 2018 17 / 20 working day and night to get famous enough as a trans person that one day i too can get misgendered on wikipedia and portrayed by scarlett johansson after i die— moth dad (@innesmck) July 3, 2018 18 / 20 As a trans man, let me just say how inspiring it is to exist solely for the purpose of giving Scarlett Johansson yet another way to represent the assholes of humanity— James Lórien 🦋 MacDonald (@happeningfish) July 3, 2018 19 / 20 You’re making a movie about a fat, Trans man who was a crime boss and Scarlett Johansson is the first name that comes to mind? Really? https://t.co/P3Vnb91HRp— @red3blog (@red3blog) July 3, 2018 20 / 20 Out LoudEntertainment NewsMovie CastingMoviesScarlett Johansson