The trailblazing comedian talks to Roxy Bourdillon about queering Netflix, embracing trans joy and working with their wife
IMAGES BY MATT CROSSICK / NETFLIX
“The binary never made sense to me,” Hannah Gadsby tells me over Zoom. It is fitting then that the award-winning Aussie comedian’s latest special is titled Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. Curated and hosted by Hannah, this multi-performer showcase features seven other genderqueer comics from around the globe. The line-up is positively brimming with queer talent. As Hannah quips, “The last time Netflix brought this many trans people together was for a protest.”
The protest they are referring to? The furore over Dave Chappelle’s transphobic 2021 special, The Closer. Netflix is a brand that Hannah has history with. When their dazzlingly fierce solo special Nanette premiered on there in 2018, it catapulted Hannah to stardom. After growing up in a small town in Tasmania, Hannah was suddenly an international celebrity and accidental “thought-leader”. Not only that, Nanette genuinely revolutionised comedy, deconstructing the artform while centring painful yet powerful material about homophobia, sexism and the damage that self-deprecation can do.
There’s no doubt that being on Netflix brought Hannah’s work to an enormous audience and changed the course of their life irrevocably. Their follow-up shows also streamed on Netflix. There was Douglas, a compelling exploration of their autism diagnosis. And then came Something Special, an uplifting ode to their wife/producer Jenney Shamash. As Hannah quipped onstage, “This is going to be a feelgood show because… I believe I owe you one!”
Faced with public backlash over Dave Chapelle, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos cited Hannah’s presence on the platform as evidence of its inclusivity. It’s safe to say that this did not go down well with Hannah. They took to social media to share an incandescent open letter. It began: “Hey Ted Sarandos! Just a quick note to let you know that I would prefer if you didn’t drag my name into your mess.” And built to a mighty crescendo: “Fuck you and your amoral algorithm cult.”
So I have to ask, why collaborate with Netflix again on this project? “Firstly, there’s a lot of individuals who work within Netflix who have been incredibly supportive to me and my work,” Hannah points out. “You just hope there’s a chance to change a culture. My feeling is that if you want to change the conversation, then you have to be a part of the conversation.” Gender Agenda is a bold attempt to redress the balance, or as they put it, act as “Netflix’s carbon offset show”.
In the past Hannah has made groundbreaking art about trauma, but Gender Agenda is defiantly celebratory in tone. They now recognise the profound impact of queer people being visibly joyful. “In a way, it’s more important. It’s for us,” they stress. Backstage, the production team worked hard to “create a sense of community within the cast”. “The comedy scene can be really fun backstage, if you feel safe. Often you don’t get that as a trans performer coming through the ranks. The conversation has become so toxic. I am proud that the joy that we worked hard to create among the performers translated to the stage. That’s not artifice. That was a group of people coming together and connecting.”
All the featured comics explore the topic of gender through their own nuanced, intersectional and hilarious lenses. Reflecting on their own experience, Hannah says, “My whole life I’ve been thinking about my gender. I’m an idiosyncratic individual. So what’s happened to me – sudden onset fame six years ago, and intense public scrutiny, and all of a sudden I’m a leader, when actually I’m just a shmuck who accidentally hit a nerve – I’ve got a lot to consider. My gender is all wrapped up in that. Basically, I’m a skin sack full of chaos!”
They elaborate, “There’s a really exciting group of young people finding their voices. I love the playing with language. But it’s also an incredibly painful time, because as the community’s trying to find this language, there’s hostile, toxic and downright dangerous external pressures. That’s the prism in which I am having this so-called journey.” They muse, “I really think it’s important that gender identity is playful. I would like to help usher in a space where it is more fun, but the reality is it’s pretty harsh out there.”
Sadly, Hannah is right that it is an incredibly tough time for the trans community. I ask if they have anything they’d like to say to trans DIVA readers. “Hi!” they laugh. Then they pause for a moment, looking thoughtful. “I don’t ever feel qualified to give advice. I don’t know how I got here. I feel like I’ve just washed up on the shore. I wouldn’t recommend that journey. I just wish everyone the best of luck. Good luck out there!”
As Hannah continues on their path, they are discovering an increasing sense of liberation. “I’m at a time where I personally don’t care how people see me. That’s part of the privilege of living a life as a woman, whether or not that felt like a clean identity for me. You’re pushed into this space in middle age. You just go, ‘You know what? This is a load of shit.’ I feel like I’ve reached that age early. My mum hit that when she was 60. I’ve just come in strong in my early 40s and just gone, ‘This is bullshit!’”
Hannah’s wife/producer Jenney pops in to let me know that our scheduled call is nearing its end. There’s time for one last question, so I make it a happy one. What’s it like working so closely with your wife? “Working with my partner has helped me distance myself from my artistic and public persona. That’s been healthy. Being in a queer relationship, there’s an element of ‘we’ll just make up our own norms here’. And in that, we’ve made up our own norms about work-life balance.” They smile broadly. “We’re having a nice time.”
Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda is on Netflix now
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