Scarlett Johansson’s Upcoming Role Is Angering The LGBTQ+ Community

It isn't that long since Scarlett Johansson found herself in hot water for taking Ghost in the Shell’s lead role of Mira Killian, a character that was Japanese in the original manga.

Now, the actress is once again stepping on toes with her upcoming role in a movie by the same director.

Johansson will play the leading role of a transgender man in Rupert Sanders’ Rub & Tug.

The movie is a biopic about Dante “Tex” Gill, a massage parlour owner who ran several businesses which fronted as brothels in 1970s Pittsburgh. Gill’s life story includes feuding with mobs, throwing cake at undercover police, serving seven years in prison for tax evasion and repeatedly being misgendered for a cisgender lesbian.

Critics took to Twitter to express their disappointment in the casting, including transgender actresses Trace Lysette and Jamie Clayton.

i’m no historian but a very brief google search turns up various written records that show both Gill and Barry referred to themselves/wanted to be known as men. not women in drag. do your research before you write a script.

— e. oliver whitney (@cinemabite) July 3, 2018

Exactly. I dare them to let us in those rooms. https://t.co/C4zp3wgpwt

— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) July 4, 2018

Others poked fun at Johansson's history of playing minority characters.

*through tears*

Scarlet please just play a white woman

*Scarlet slowly begins placing the sombrero on her head*

— Dig Bick Energy (@BraveArcanine) July 3, 2018

pic.twitter.com/hKhcppJ1cR

— guys, gals, & non-binary pals (@Kira_Machado) July 4, 2018

Responding to criticism, a rep for the actress alluded to Jared Leto’s role in Dallas Buyers Club, Jeffrey Tambor’s role in Transparent and Felicity Huffman’s role in Transamerica. This didn't do much to diffuse anger.

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

Ghost in the Shell was released in 2017 making this the second collaboration between Johansson and Sanders.