Mediating Contemporary Transfeminisms and Femininities in Veneno and Ellas

This chapter explores the creative treatment of femininity and new female subjects enabled by VOD services and a new generation of creative talent. Veneno (Atresmedia 2020) highlights the histories of transwomen in its examination of a group of women in the 1990s whose marginalisation from society meant that, frequently, the only work available to them was sex work. A certain type of embodied hyperfemininity, the result of numerous surgeries, then becomes necessary to suit the preferences of the ‘clients’ and ensure a lucrative income. The pressures of the male gaze and its iteration in TV culture are explored, as we see Cristina/La veneno become the fetishised star of a very Spanish genre of 1990s TV, a late-night show combining humour, celebrity interviews and more serious and important social journalism. Veneno does not fetishise the trans body but, instead, through temporal shifts, focuses on moments of change and relationships between the women at the centre of the drama. Making visual transition as a process also interrogates certain versions of femininity, which, in common with the rest of the book, raises tensions between femininity and feminism. The chapter also looks at the documentary production Ellas (Atresmedia 2020) and highlights the development of trans stories in Spain. Although the form of the documentary is very different to the drama of Veneno both productions create a space for an affectionate and nuanced contemplation of TV feminism that is transinclusive and caring.