Transphobia in Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer”

By Jeremiah Ancheta

On October 5, 2021, Netflix released “The Closer,” a comedy special performed by Dave Chappelle. Throughout the entirety of the special, Chappelle makes comments about and towards women and the LGBTQ+ community. These comments have been met with criticism for being misogynistic, homophobic, and transphobic.

This post will be the first of a two-part series about “The Closer.” Although Chappelle’s remarks throughout the film are misogynistic, homophobic, and transphobic, this first piece will focus on the latter remarks and explain why his ‘jokes’ are transphobic. The second piece will talk about the communicative harm that the special has on the transgender community.

Team TERF

Around the 52:00 mark of the special, Chappelle mentions J.K. Rowling’s comments about transgender women and that she was called a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist) in response. 

Chappelle then says he looked up what a TERF was, saying what it was an acronym for, and proceeds to explain their ideology. In doing so, he claims that TERFS “look at transgender women the way we [Black people] might look at Black face,” that TERFS believe that transgender women are “doing an impression” of women. 

Black face is a racist practice going as far back as the 18th century in American theatrical performances to ridicule black people. The practice involved white theatrical performers painting their face in black and speaking in an exaggerated African American vernacular, painting a caricature of African American appearance and behavior. In making an analogy between Black face and transgender women, TERFs are claiming that transgender women are a caricature and mockery of women.

After giving this explanation of what a TERF is, Chappelle ultimately claims that he is “Team TERF.” In other words, Chappelle agrees with TERFS that trans women aren’t ‘real’ women and that trans women are ridiculing women just in virtue of being trans women.

What it is to be a Woman

Just before the 54:00 mark, Chappelle claims that “gender is a fact.” On its own, it isn’t clear what is exactly meant when Chappelle says this. However, he clarifies what he means by proceeding to talk about a woman’s capacity to give birth and have periods, as well as their genitalia.

Chappelle brings up the fact that Caitlyn Jenner, a transgender woman, won the Glamour Woman of the Year Award in 2015. Immediately after, he sarcastically remarks “ain’t that something” and says “[she] never even had a period.” Furthermore, he says “I’d be mad as sh*t if I was a woman.” In making such comments, Chappelle expresses his surprise and disapproval that a person who has never had a period can win a Woman of the Year award.

Around the 55:00 mark, Chappelle reasserts that “gender is a fact” and immediately starts talking about the capacity for women to give birth. He says “Every human being… had to pass through the legs of a woman… that is a fact.” Chappelle then ties this point about birth to the genitals of women.

Chappelle begins talking about the genitalia of transgender women. He says, “I’m not saying [a transgender woman’s genitals] is not pussy, but that’s like Beyond Pussy or Impossible Pussy… It tastes like pussy but that’s not quite what it is, is it?”

Chappelle’s joke of calling a transgender woman’s genitals as “Beyond Pussy” and “Impossible Pussy” is a reference to Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat, plant-based alternatives that look and taste similar to meat. Such plant-based food is often called imitation meat or fake meat. In making the joke, Chappelle is claiming that transgender women who went through vaginoplasty or vulvoplasty have “fake” genitals or “imitation” genitals.

All these remarks reveal that Chappelle believes that what it is to be a woman necessarily involves the capacity to give birth, have periods, and have genitals of  a certain sort. However, these beliefs are absolutely false, as it goes against what various academic and professional fields have to say about gender. 

The World Health Organization does not define gender in the same way that Chappelle does. The Yale School of Medicine made the distinction between sex and gender, which is at odds with Chappelle’s beliefs. A vast amount of literature in academic philosophy points out problems with conceiving of gender the way Chappelle does (e.g. see the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article “Feminist Perspectives on Sex and Gender”).

Chappelle’s Defense

Starting from the 56:00 mark of the special, Chappelle brings up a transgender woman he knew named Daphne Dorman. Chappelle describes Dorman as a transgender woman who was a big fan of his and found his transphobic jokes to be funny, the latter point being greatly emphasized. Unfortunately, Daphne Dorman died by suicide.

In emphasizing that Daphne, a transgender woman, found his jokes about transgender people to be funny, Chappelle is making the argument that his remarks about the transgender community aren’t transphobic because a transgender person approved of them.

However, it’s important to note that the transgender community is not a single monolith with a single opinion that is shared by all who are transgender. Rather, the trans community, much like other socially recognized groups, consist of various individuals with differing beliefs about what is appropriate and inappropriate. So Chappelle’s defense that he isn’t transphobic because a single trans woman found his transgender jokes funny is unwarranted.

Conclusion

The contents of “The Closer” consisted of Dave Chappelle’s transphobic beliefs and comments about and towards transgender people. His exclamation that he is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist (at least, what he takes them to be) is in itself transphobic, as he admits to essentially claiming that transgender women are not ‘real’ women. Chappelle’s comments have also consisted of false information about gender and womanhood, again excluding transgender women from genuinely having the latter.

Cloud Dancers does not condone Dave Chappelle’s comments about the transgender community, and hope that Chappelle and his fans eventually understand why “The Closer” is problematic. If you or someone you know has been personally harmed, either directly or indirectly, by the special, we note the Trans Lifeline below for anyone who needs it.

Trans Lifeline – US (877-565-8860); Canada (877-330-6366)