Queer temporalities in TV series Veneno: breaking down the spiral of silence through trans visibility

Abstract

This study explores the implications of media visibility in the evolution of public opinion about trans people in the Spanish context. We focus on the socio-cultural impact of the TV series ‘Veneno’ (2020, Atresmedia) in relation to the breaking down of the spiral of silence (Noelle-Neumann, 1993) on trans issues. Based on Esteban Muñoz's (2020) theoretical approach to queer temporalities, we conducted a 'close reading' analysis (Brummett 2018) of the diachronic narrative of the television series Veneno (2020). Through a linear observation of the past, present and future of media representation and its relationship with the real-life situation of trans people, an evolution is detected from ostracism and fetishization in the past, to a future shift towards greater normalization and livable life forms. But the results also reveal a spiral of meanings that interconnect with different temporalities and contexts, reflecting the non-linear nature of queer temporalities. Additionally, the paper discusses how this series, due to its media impact, has contributed to socio-political public debate on the need to address the rights of trans people in modern-day Spanish society. Finally, its impact not only relies on improving trans visibility by portraying trans narratives, but we also discuss how the series is playing an important role in queering the media industry itself, ensuring trans people to work both in front and behind the cameras.