[Naomiko]

Hi,

There were some spam ads "Casting Call for True Life" on FetLife. When I first read it, I thought it was too ludicrous to be true and figured it a phishing scam. After googling 'punchedinthehead.com' I found their website. I'm like, 'Ok guess it's legit, let's see what they're about...'

Here's a list of episodes they're calling cast for:

True Life: I'm GenderQueer
True Life: I Have a Taboo Attraction
True Life: I Have a Trans Parent
True Life: I'm Becoming a Cyborg

(see for yourself: http://punchedinthehead.com/casting/ )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tr...e_episodes

Now, I'm neither easily upset or offended...but after reading their episode casting call descriptions, I couldn't help but be overly peeved and upset. Am I overreacting, out of line, looking at things wrong? Did I fall out of the closet and end up back in the 90's?

I'll copy/paste the email I sent the co-owner of the show. To be honest, I had never heard of True Life before, mainly because I don't watch MTV.

Not trying to start a flame war or anything, just want honest feedback on whether I'm wrong about seeing this as insensitive, exploitative, sensationalizing the community?

[Naomiko]

Here's the email I sent, tried to be civil n such:

to: amelia@punchedinthehead.com
subject: True Life Exploitation

"I, among many, recently seen spam posting casting calls for your MTV True Life 'reality' show on FetLife.com. The ad sounded far too ridiculous to be real, so I did some background checking and came to your site. I am not easily offended, but I was today...

After reading through all of your casting call titles; GenderQueer, TransParent, Taboo Attraction, Becoming a Cyborg, Avenging Revenge Porn...

It became very obvious that you do not take the LGBTQ community seriously and only seek to exploit Transgender/Genderqueer individuals as a Reality TV Circus Sideshow!

Your site claims to "specialize in eye-opening, perspective-changing stories about real people" yet your ludicrous and insensitive casting ads -- especially placed next to other up-and-coming episodes of "I'm Becoming a Cyborg"?!? -- CLEARLY shows your TV show is as much of a real documentary as Jerry Springer was!

Your show comes across as exploitative, insensitive, that uses GQ/TG and people of the Kink community as objects of curiosity and amusement for fame and financial gain!

Tabloid style headlines and Jerry Springer-esque drama has created misconceptions WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM MURDER OR SUICIDE!!! THIS is real life! I seriously and sincerely ask that you reconsider your TV topics. Exploitative sensationalizing damages our community! Ignorance harms and kills real people! Is this what you're striving for? Wake up! Do you even give a damn about the people you are exposing and exploiting??

I am angry, offended, and actually disturbed that in 2015 people in LGBTQ community, my community, are still seen as a sideshow joke to you people! I will be seeking legal advice regarding possible action should these topics be improperly represented.

Thank you for your time, I've wasted enough of mine!

Lananonymous"

[WantAPair]

I've never seen or heard of the show, and I just don't waste my time with t.v. anymore, but I CAN EASILY recall a time not TOO terribly long ago when the M in "MTV" actually stood for MUSIC!!!!
However, on one hand, you're not very far from right!! In a LOT of cases, this IS just a the circus freak show for them!! BUT, it sort of depends upon the light in which they choose to present these topics. If they're doing it to HELP us, then, more power to them!! If it IS in a ridiculing fashion, then they don't deserve the air time or the attention of anyone that'd watch such shit!! The sad thing is, even if they ARE benevolent, there's STILL going to be MANY losers that'll watch the show JUST to make fun of those that appear on it!!

[CalmlyAndrogynous]

I've never seen or heard of the show, and I just don't waste my time with t.v. anymore, but I CAN EASILY recall a time not TOO terribly long ago when the M in "MTV" actually stood for MUSIC!!!!
However, on one hand, you're not very far from right!! In a LOT of cases, this IS just a the circus freak show for them!! BUT, it sort of depends upon the light in which they choose to present these topics. If they're doing it to HELP us, then, more power to them!! If it IS in a ridiculing fashion, then they don't deserve the air time or the attention of anyone that'd watch such shit!! The sad thing is, even if they ARE benevolent, there's STILL going to be MANY losers that'll watch the show JUST to make fun of those that appear on it!!

There are also people who are desperate enough for attention or maybe angry enough to want to annoy their conservative family that will go on it.

[WantAPair]

I've never seen or heard of the show, and I just don't waste my time with t.v. anymore, but I CAN EASILY recall a time not TOO terribly long ago when the M in "MTV" actually stood for MUSIC!!!!
However, on one hand, you're not very far from right!! In a LOT of cases, this IS just a the circus freak show for them!! BUT, it sort of depends upon the light in which they choose to present these topics. If they're doing it to HELP us, then, more power to them!! If it IS in a ridiculing fashion, then they don't deserve the air time or the attention of anyone that'd watch such shit!! The sad thing is, even if they ARE benevolent, there's STILL going to be MANY losers that'll watch the show JUST to make fun of those that appear on it!!

There are also people who are desperate enough for attention or maybe angry enough to want to annoy their conservative family that will go on it.

Okay, but that's up to THEM!! If they want to do it bad enough, they'll find an outlet ANYWHERE! If this show doesn't take them, there's always Springer, Povich, Rapheal, Winfrey, Rivera and dozens of others I've never even heard of.