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May 26, 2012

All My Children adds transgender character

by Brett Love, posted Nov 27th 2006 10:04AM

jeffrey carlsonWhen you do a new show five days a week, all year long, it's got to be tough to keep coming up with original stories. That's just the problem they were facing over at ABC's All My Children. In an effort to keep things original they are adding their first transgender character. According to Executive Producer Julie Hanan Carruthers, "After 36 years, you start rehashing. It's inevitable. We didn't want to fall back on the baby-switch story again." The character, Zarf, will be played by Jeffrey Carlson (pictured).

I'm not familiar enough with the demographics of the daytime soap audience to have any idea how this is going to play out. Given the subject matter, it's reasonable to expect that there could be some backlash from fans who are turned off by the idea. On the other hand, there has been some absolutely bizarre stuff on soap operas over the last few years (vampires, witches, a superhero), so who knows? It could be just the rating boost All My Children is looking for. Whichever way it goes, I applaud them for taking a chance and doing something different.

[ via Yahoo! News ]

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jaremelz

So far I haven't seen anything terribly trans about this character. they'd said s/he was a male to female trans person but how come s/he is still presenting as a man with just some eye makeup? i'm not trans, but my best friend is, and so far I'm not seeing it!

December 11 2006 at 11:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dexie

It's just appropriate since Bianca's "coming out" storyline was then the most controversial storyline and the very first woman to woman kissing on soaps.

December 05 2006 at 10:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jennifer

I'm all for the storyline. But "Zarf" sounds like "narf" and then I think of Pinky and the Brain. I can see them wanting to pick a gender-free name, but why not just, I dunno, "Madison" or "Lee" or "Chris" or "Pat?"

November 28 2006 at 5:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kt

ok well zarf was already on the show once, he's a british rock punk guy. all my children always introduces subject matter that has never been on daytime soaps before. i think with the amount of time it takes for them to develop this story (he falls in love with lesbian bianca montgomery first) viewers will embrace this character and story. i'm 25 and i've been watching this show for 12 years, i'm sure there are obviously older people who watch, but i don't think they'll have a problem with it.

November 27 2006 at 1:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chris

Zarf. Rhymes with barf. You read it here first.

November 27 2006 at 11:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Porchland

Pat or Jamie or Charlie, sure, but Zarf?

November 27 2006 at 11:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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