Drag actor Vico Ortiz is very impressed with her portrayal of a non-binary pirate in the new TV series Our Flag Means Death.
The show, which aired on HBO Max last year and launches on BBC Two Wednesday, involved a “gender non-conforming” character, who goes by the names Jim and Bonifacia, “presenting as a man” in order to live out a dream of being a pirate in the 17th century, according to a report by Pink News.
But when Jim/Bonifacia’s fake beard and wax nose are removed, the character struggles with making sure he or she is still accepted by fellow pirates for who he or she really is — although that remains unclear.
Ortiz, who uses “they” and “them” pronouns and is “a proud Latine/x non-binary/gender fluid actor/activist,” according to the actor’s IMDb page, told Pink News that the Jim/Bonifacia character in Our Flag Means Death is “not trying to act like a man or act like a woman, they just are.”
The actor added that it felt “historic” to play a non-binary character on television.
“When I got the part I was like, I want to make sure that Jim is Jim throughout, with the beard or without the beard,” Ortiz said.
“Having the beard doesn’t make them more masculine or less feminine, or not having the beard doesn’t make them more feminine or less masculine, they just are the same person regardless,” the actor insisted.
Ortiz went on to say that “it was really cool to explore that on my own terms,” adding, “Honestly, it’s such an honor. It felt like I was reclaiming some of our stories.”
“Unfortunately throughout history a lot of the trans, non-binary, queer stories try to talk about the person as much as possible without acknowledging that they’re queer,” Ortiz told Pink News.
“When I read for the part and got to interpret Jim, it was like, oh yeah, I get to actually fearlessly embody this journey of somebody who [gets to explore] their identity,” the actor added.
Our Flag Means Death is just the latest show to incorporate the strange new concept of a non-binary gender — a phenomenon sweeping the entertainment industry, making an impact on countless impressionable young people.
As television shows, media outlets, and left-wing activists continue to hype transgenderism and guide children to doubt their biological sex, more young people are identifying as non-binary.
Research published last year by the Trevor Project found that over one in four — 26 percent — of LGBTQ youth identify as nonbinary. An additional 20 percent said they are not sure or are questioning whether they identify as nonbinary.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.