Shadi Petosky
{{Short description|American animator}}
{{Third-party|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shadi Petosky
| image = Shadi Petosky at San Diego Comic Con (cropped).jpg
| caption = Petosky in 2016
| birth_place = Kalispell, Montana, U.S.
| education =
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Cartoonist
- television producer
}}
| years_active = 2007–present
| notable_works = Danger & Eggs, Twelve Forever
| partner =
}}
Shadi Petosky is an American television producer and writer. She co-created the animated series Danger & Eggs, and has worked on television series including The Sandman.
Early life
Petosky was born in Kalispell, Montana,{{Cite web |last1=Devlin |first1=Vince |title=K is for Kalispell: State's fastest-growing city is booming |url=https://missoulian.com/news/local/k-is-for-kalispell-states-fastest-growing-city-is-booming/article_e7bb68f2-9502-5036-be9a-40d5f711f950.html |website=Missoulian |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917193856/https://missoulian.com/news/local/k-is-for-kalispell-states-fastest-growing-city-is-booming/article_e7bb68f2-9502-5036-be9a-40d5f711f950.html |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |date=October 25, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} growing up in a rural area.{{cite interview |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |interviewer=Grace Bonney |title=Creating A Cartoon for TV: Shadi Petosky of Danger & Eggs |url=https://www.designsponge.com/2015/11/creating-a-cartoon-for-TV-shadi-petosky-of-danger-eggs.html |publisher=Design Sponge |location=United States |date=November 2015 |access-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224215231/https://www.designsponge.com/2015/11/creating-a-cartoon-for-tv-shadi-petosky-of-danger-eggs.html |url-status=dead }}{{efn|See 35:18 in the Queery podcast, which can be listened to [https://www.earwolf.com/episode/shadi-petosky/ here]. All further references about the Queery podcast refer to the one linked in this reference.}} Petosky cites Ani DiFranco and folk music in general as early positive influences in her life.{{efn|See 43:40 in the Queery podcast.}} She stated that she spent part of her childhood in Gwinn, Michigan, with her family living on U.S. Air Force bases. Later describing herself as "total AV club / film / theater kid," who read independent comic books in high school, and "devouring" many videos at the video store, she noted that she has been a "victim of violence" in that early part of her life, and onward because she was "a loud, queer kid in a rural area." At the same time, Petosky said she loved comic books, was an "aspiring artist."{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/410648788/ |title=Comics teenager's first love |date=March 18, 1994 |newspaper=The Billings Gazette|access-date=September 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920045613/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/410648788/ |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |url-status=live |agency= |location=Billings, Montana |page=35 |via=Newspapers.com }} Petosky was diagnosed with ADHD and says that many people in her family are neurodivergent.{{efn|According to the List of United States Air Force installations page, there are currently three military installations in Wisconsin, but none are close to Mason. Other bases, like Fort McCoy and Volk Field Air National Guard Base are also a far distance away. However, it is 214 miles from Gwinn, Michigan.}}
=Gender and sexuality=
Petosky came out as queer prior to coming out as trans.{{efn|See 36:30 in the Queery podcast.}} When she did start to identify as trans, gay men she was romantically involved with would ridicule her for it.{{efn|See 36:41 in the Queery podcast.}} She started seeking therapy around age 24, primarily surrounding her transness.{{efn|See 34:37 in the Queery podcast.}} She describes it as taking place at a time in the world when "it was a really popular....it was popular to think that if you were [a male to female] trans [person] and you liked men, you were just a self-loathing homosexual, so I believed that hard-core, that, like, I was just...I...I liked boys, I knew I liked boys but I couldn't imagine myself...I had to picture myself as a woman [...] to be able to have an intimate relationship with a boy."{{efn|See 34:37 in the Queery podcast.}} Eventually, Petosky began subscribing to radical feminist ideology and "got really into trying to, like, break down gender and completely eradicate it from my mind."{{efn|See 38:10 in the Queery podcast.}}
In September 2015, Petosky was detained at the Orlando International Airport when a full-body scanner scanned her penis, which a Transportation Security Administration agent marked as an anomaly. When Petosky explained to the agent that she is transgender, the TSA agents, including explosives specialists, detained and questioned her for 40 minutes. They also gave her two full body pat-downs and searched her luggage. Petosky asked if they had a protocol for dealing with transgender people, and the agents replied that they knew what they were doing. She was released after the TSA established that she did not present a danger, though she missed her flight, and spent an extra day in Miami.{{Cite web|last=Del Toro|first=Jesús|date=September 22, 2015|title=Transgénero humillada en el aeropuerto por una 'anomalía' en su cuerpo|trans-title=Transgender humiliated at the airport by an 'anomaly' in her body |url=https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/blogs/pulso-usa/la-anomal%C3%ADa-en-el-cuerpo-de-una-transg%C3%A9nero-que-desat%C3%B3-la-alerta-en-un-aeropuerto-172223904.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224215802/https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/blogs/pulso-usa/la-anomal%C3%ADa-en-el-cuerpo-de-una-transg%C3%A9nero-que-desat%C3%B3-la-alerta-en-un-aeropuerto-172223904.html|archive-date=December 24, 2019|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=Yahoo! News|language=es}} As a result, congressmembers Adam Schiff, Mark Pocan, Brian Higgins, and 29 others sent a letter to Peter Neffenger, administrator of the TSA, urging changes "in the way that the agency screens transgender passengers."{{cite press release |last=Adam |first=Schiff |date=October 8, 2015 |title=Members of Congress to TSA – Reform Screening Procedures for Transgender Passengers |url=https://schiff.house.gov/news/press-releases/members-of-congress-to-tsa_reform-screening-procedures-for-transgender-passengers |location=United States |publisher=Official Website of Congressman Adam Schiff |agency=U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214222431/https://schiff.house.gov/news/press-releases/members-of-congress-to-tsa_reform-screening-procedures-for-transgender-passengers |archive-date=February 14, 2020}} Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign called for a "swift and thorough investigation" of the incident.{{Cite web |last1=Ennis |first1=Dawn |title=Her Tweets Tell One Trans Woman's TSA Horror Story |url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2015/9/22/one-trans-womans-tsa-horror-story |website=The Advocate |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116034754/https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2015/9/22/one-trans-womans-tsa-horror-story |archive-date=November 16, 2019 |date=September 22, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} The TSA defended their treatment of Petosky{{Cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Katie |title=T.S.A. Defends Treatment of Transgender Air Traveler |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/us/shadi-petosky-tsa-transgender.html |website=New York Times |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213063050/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/us/shadi-petosky-tsa-transgender.html |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} and later stated that agents would stop using the term “anomaly” when describing trans passengers.{{Cite web |last1=Lang |first1=Keith |title=TSA dropping the term 'anomaly' for transgender passengers |url=https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/257120-tsa-dropping-the-term-anomaly-for-transgender-passengers |website=The Hill |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623223026/https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/257120-tsa-dropping-the-term-anomaly-for-transgender-passengers |archive-date=June 23, 2019 |date=October 16, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} The same year Petosky was "denied a room on Airbnb" after she told the host she was trans, with the host claiming she did so out of the concern "for the discomfort of her teenaged son."{{Cite web |last1=O'Donovan |first1=Caroline |title=Airbnb Removes Host Who Denied A Trans Woman A Place To Stay |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/host-who-denied-a-trans-woman-a-place-to-stay-removed-from-a |website=BuzzFeed |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414081050/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/host-who-denied-a-trans-woman-a-place-to-stay-removed-from-a |archive-date=April 14, 2019 |date=June 6, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} It would not be until the following year that the host would be "removed from the Airbnb platform." Petosky called for the company to have a "specific policy that protects LGBT guests from discrimination," although she eschewed a possible lawsuit, saying it would be "emotionally draining." Years later, Petosky called the congressional letter about the TSA incident a sign that the Democratic Party had the "language and understanding about trans lives and experiences" and said that the prospect of change of the TSA is remote.
In 2017, Petosky stated that she is still learning and questioning everything about her gender, even divorcing herself from labeling herself as a woman: "In allowing flexibility and not having rigid thought is, like, a new concept that I'm working so hard on...to just let myself be flexible. But the world's not that flexible. Like, you know, every article is like, 'This is a show created by a transgender woman,' or, like...I don't call myself a woman. It's just assumed. I don't, but I also don't, like, call myself agender or non-binary or anything like that, because I am pretty binary in a lot of ways. I just say 'trans.' I just like 'trans.' It's just, like, a wide enough [label]."{{efn|See 42:33 in the Queery podcast.}}
Career
Petosky was a computer programmer before meeting Zander Cannon and helping Cannon to co-publish The Replacement God.{{Cite web|last1=Seijas|first1=Casey|date=September 12, 2011|title=MN Geek Mecca: An animated talk with PUNY co-founders|url=http://www.citypages.com/arts/mn-geek-mecca-an-animated-talk-with-puny-co-founders-6580561|url-status=live|access-date=September 20, 2020|website=City Pages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329183625/http://www.citypages.com/arts/mn-geek-mecca-an-animated-talk-with-puny-co-founders-6580561|archive-date=March 29, 2016}} With Cannon and Kevin Cannon, Petosky formed the comic art studio Big Time Attic in late 2004.{{cite interview |last=Cannon |first=Zander |last2=Petosky |first2=Shad |last3=Cannon |first3=Kevin |interviewer=Gordon McAlpin |title=The Big Time Attic Interview |url=http://www.comicbookgalaxy.com/bigtimeattic.html |format=Online |work=Comic Book Galaxy |date=2005 |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122184251/http://www.comicbookgalaxy.com/bigtimeattic.html |archive-date=January 22, 2018 |url-status=dead }}{{cite interview |last=Cannon |first=Kevin |interviewer=Tom Spurgeon |title=CR Sunday Interview: Kevin Cannon |url=https://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_sunday_interview_kevin_cannon/ |format=Online |work=The Comics Reporter |date=June 21, 2009 |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115173635/https://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_sunday_interview_kevin_cannon/ |archive-date=November 15, 2018 |url-status=live }} The three illustrated the graphic novel Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards for science writer Jim Ottaviani.{{Cite web|last1=Hughes|first1=Sarah|date=April 8, 2005|title=Comic Book Science in the Classroom|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4581832|url-status=live|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=NPR|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907223656/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4581832|archive-date=September 7, 2019}} Shad refers to Shadi.
In January 2007, Petosky and Vincent "King Mini" Stall, along with the employees of Big Time Attic, formed a "convergence media" studio called Puny Entertainment,{{Cite web|last=Mastrapa|first=Gus|date=July 23, 2009|title=Animation Domination|url=https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/arts-entertainment/animation-domination/|url-status=live|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=Minnesota Monthly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917143222/https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/arts-entertainment/animation-domination/|archive-date=September 17, 2020}}{{Cite web|date=July 23, 2009|title=Puny Entertainment finds its fun style works for kids, adults, and social media|url=http://www.thelinemedia.com/innovationnews/punyentertainment120110.aspx|url-status=live|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=The Line Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522000012/http://www.thelinemedia.com/innovationnews/punyentertainment120110.aspx|archive-date=May 22, 2013}} half of which was bought by Chris Hardwick in 2015.{{Cite web|last=Ellis|first=Andrew|date=August 13, 2015|title=Nerdist Industries' Chris Hardwick buys half of PUNY Entertainment|url=http://www.citypages.com/arts/nerdist-industries-chris-hardwick-buys-half-of-puny-entertainment-7561760|url-status=live|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=CityPages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907223318/http://www.citypages.com/arts/nerdist-industries-chris-hardwick-buys-half-of-puny-entertainment-7561760|archive-date=September 7, 2019}} The studio went defunct around a decade later.{{Cite web|date=2020|title=Puny Entertainment (Now Closed)|url=https://foursquare.com/v/puny-entertainment/4b6afc94f964a520baea2be3/|url-status=live|access-date=September 17, 2020|website=Foursquare|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729131636/https://foursquare.com/v/puny-entertainment/4b6afc94f964a520baea2be3|archive-date=July 29, 2019}} In 2016, Petosky stated that creating Puny Entertainment was her only option if she wanted to do "creative work."{{cite book |last=Bonney |first=Grace |date=2016 |title=In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R_LgDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 |location=New York City |publisher=Artisan Books |page=122 |isbn=978-1579655976 }} Shadi was later described as the "cofounder and creative director" of PUNY.{{Cite web|date=July 10, 2009|title=Sleepers Awake|url=http://northern.lights.mn/projects/puny-entertainment/|url-status=live|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=Northern Lights.mn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130231412/http://northern.lights.mn/projects/puny-entertainment/|archive-date=January 30, 2020}} Shad refers to Shadi.
In the years that followed, Petosky and Stall created video games and animation for Cartoon Network and created animation for the Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. Channel television show Yo Gabba Gabba!. While acting as an animation supervisor on the show, she was "introduced to opportunities in kids’ animation."{{Cite web |last1=Petosky |first1=Shadi |title=A Trans Showrunner on How to Bring LGBTQ+ Truth to Kids' TV (Guest Column) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/a-trans-showrunner-how-bring-lgbtq-truth-kids-tv-guest-column-1045104 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610063207/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/a-trans-showrunner-how-bring-lgbtq-truth-kids-tv-guest-column-1045104 |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |date=October 11, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} She later described how animation came as a surprise after doing it on Yo Gabba Gabba!{{cite interview |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |interviewer=Sasha Leon |title=Shadi Petosky of Danger & Eggs |type=Online |url=http://officemagazine.net/shadi-petosky-danger-eggs |work=Office Magazine |date=July 30, 2017 |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509100417/http://officemagazine.net/shadi-petosky-danger-eggs |archive-date=May 9, 2020 |url-status=live }} When she worked on Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 2007, Petosky talked about the financial cost of the show. She stated that she suspected that the show had problem generating revenue, selling t-shirts, post-it notes, and mouse pads to pay for the show's production because fans did not like the poorly designed and written animated characters.{{Cite web|last=Petosky|first=Shad|date=February 22, 2008|title=Topic: MST3K.COM|url=http://forrestcrow.proboards47.com/index.cgi?board=deep&action=display&thread=11964&page=30#1203662913|url-status=dead|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Discussion Board|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301071001/http://forrestcrow.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=deep&action=display&thread=11964&page=30|archive-date=March 1, 2012}} Shad refers to Shadi.
Then, in 2009, Petosky and Stall opened the Pink Hobo - Geek Art Gallery in 2009 to showcase art work inspired by pop culture, digital media, and lowbrow art.{{Cite web|last1=Horgen|first1=Tom|date=June 21, 2010|title=Designer toy story|url=https://www.startribune.com/designer-toy-story/96606349/|url-status=live|access-date=September 20, 2020|website=Star Tribune|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200920043628/https://www.startribune.com/designer-toy-story/96606349/|archive-date=September 20, 2020}} In its first year, the art gallery, in northeast Minneapolis, had exhibitions on Barack Obama{{Cite web|date=February 23, 2009|title=Homepage|url=http://pinkhobo.com:80/|url-status=dead|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=Pink Hobo official website|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223165046/http://pinkhobo.com/|archive-date=February 23, 2009}} and the art of Yo Gabba Gabba.{{Cite web|last=Armbruster|first=Jessica|date=July 10, 2009|title=The Art of Yo Gabba Gabba at Pink Hobo Geek Art|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/the-art-of-yo-gabba-gabba-at-pink-hobo-geek-art-6621530|url-status=live|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=City Pages|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920034709/http://www.citypages.com/music/the-art-of-yo-gabba-gabba-at-pink-hobo-geek-art-6621530|archive-date=September 20, 2020}} Shad refers to Shadi. Later, Feral Audio was launched from her apartment in Franklin Village, near the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, with her, and other artists at PUNY, creating the brand identity, website, and cover art for Feral's first slate of podcasts. In 2010, Petosky developed the pilot for Danger & Eggs titled "Philip, the Safety Egg."{{Cite web|last=Beck|first=Jerry|date=January 30, 2010|title=Phillip, the Safety Egg|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/phillip-the-safety-egg-20312.html|url-status=live|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=Cartoon Brew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406204616/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/shorts/phillip-the-safety-egg-20312.html|archive-date=April 6, 2015}} Petosky was interviewed at Amazon's request as a writer for Transparent but was rejected because she came from another part of the entertainment industry though she consulted on the show. After public outcry that the show had no transgender writers, Shadi was part of a second season training program and competition to find a trans writer from six possible candidates.{{cite web|last=Bussel|first=Rachel Kramer|url=https://www.salon.com/2015/09/22/shadi_petosky_was_detained_by_tsa_for_traveling_while_trans_the_police_at_the_tsa_gate_were_awful_one_was_laughing_at_me/|title=Shadi Petosky was detained by TSA for traveling while trans: "The police at the TSA gate were awful. One was laughing at me"|website=Salon.com|date=September 22, 2015|access-date=October 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306134845/https://www.salon.com/2015/09/22/shadi_petosky_was_detained_by_tsa_for_traveling_while_trans_the_police_at_the_tsa_gate_were_awful_one_was_laughing_at_me/|archive-date=March 6, 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Lowder|first=J. Bryan|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/12/transparent-hires-our-lady-j-to-writing-staff-making-good-on-jill-soloways-promise.html|title=Transparent Gets Its First Trans Woman Writer, As Promised|website=Salon.com|date=December 1, 2014|access-date=October 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211210154/https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/12/transparent-hires-our-lady-j-to-writing-staff-making-good-on-jill-soloways-promise.html|archive-date=February 11, 2021|url-status=live}}
The following year, Petosky began working on Danger & Eggs even more, pitching the show, and later becoming the executive producer who was "responsible for everything."{{cite interview |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |interviewer=Jake Thompson |title=Shadi Petosky on Creating the Amazon Cartoon Pilot "Danger and Eggs" |url=http://leckybang.com/2015/11/15/shadi-petosky-on-creating-the-amazon-cartoon-pilot-danger-and-eggs/ |work=Leckybang |date=November 15, 2015 |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402091323/http://leckybang.com/2015/11/15/shadi-petosky-on-creating-the-amazon-cartoon-pilot-danger-and-eggs/ |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |url-status=live }} The show would be traditionally animated, which she called "super labor intensive."{{cite interview |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |interviewer=Jake Thompson |title=Front Row At Beyoncé With 'Danger And Eggs' Creator Shadi Petosky |url=https://worldofwonder.net/front-row-at-beyonce-with-danger-and-eggs-creator-shadi-petosky/ |work=World of Wonder |date=September 15, 2016 |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200920032839/https://worldofwonder.net/front-row-at-beyonce-with-danger-and-eggs-creator-shadi-petosky/ |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |url-status=live }} Six years later, in June 2017, Petosky launched Danger & Eggs, an animated series streaming on Amazon Video, which she co-created and provides voice work for, and the first series she collaborated with Chris Hardwick on.{{cite interview |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |interviewer=Dani Heffernan |title=Interview: Trans Comedy Executive Producer Shadi Petosky on her new Amazon TV pilot |url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/interview-trans-comedy-executive-producer-shadi-petosky-her-new-amazon-tv-pilot |publisher=GLAAD |location=United States |date=November 10, 2015 |access-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310194037/https://www.glaad.org/blog/interview-trans-comedy-executive-producer-shadi-petosky-her-new-amazon-tv-pilot |archive-date=March 10, 2016}} She described the series as important for her as a trans person, noted that a lot of the show is LGBTQ and that it deals with LGBTQ issues "in a really platonic way and at their core," avoiding any stereotypes.{{Cite news |last1=Lodge |first1=Daniel |title=SDCC '17: Danger and Eggs represents LGBTQ community both on and off screen |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-17-danger-and-eggs-represents-lgbtq-community-both-on-and-off-screen/ |website=Comics Beat |publisher=Superlime Media, LLC. |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920144902/http://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-17-danger-and-eggs-represents-lgbtq-community-both-on-and-off-screen/ |archive-date=September 20, 2017 |date=July 27, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} She also stated that the show never touches on romantic relationships or crushes, saying there are pride signs in the show's final episode, saying this is different than calling it "Rainbow Day" like other shows.{{Cite web |last1=Jusino |first1=Teresa |url=https://www.themarysue.com/danger-and-eggs-awesome-for-lgbtqia-representation/ |title=Why Amazon's Danger and Eggs Is One of the Best Things to Happen to LGBTQIA Representation |website=The Mary Sue |publisher=Abrams Media |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212185718/https://www.themarysue.com/danger-and-eggs-awesome-for-lgbtqia-representation/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=July 18, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} She further stated that she wanted to "show innocent LGBTQ friendships, before the age of romantic connections," and added that there were "queer people in every aspect of production."{{Cite web |last1=Bendix |first1=Trish |title="Danger And Eggs" Is The Queer Cartoon We've Been Waiting For |url=http://www.newnownext.com/danger-and-eggs-cartoon-amazon-kids/07/2017/ |website=NewNowNext |publisher=ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007034642/http://www.newnownext.com/danger-and-eggs-cartoon-amazon-kids/07/2017/ |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |date=July 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} In another interview, she stated that the crew had been working on the series for six years and asked people to support the show.
In October 2017, she wrote that she told the show's writers to treat it like "speculative social fiction" and noted that "writing LGBTQ+ kids...and their freedoms of tomorrow" would heal her own "traumatic childhood" and was proud of the show's episode on pride, while thanking Amazon she was able to do what she could on the show. Overall, the show was praised for its "colorful, quirky animation style,"{{Cite web |last1=Guerrero |first1=Desirée |title=Wait, You Never Heard of Danger and Eggs? |url=https://www.advocate.com/current-issue/2017/11/21/wait-you-never-heard-danger-and-eggs |website=The Advocate |publisher=Pride Media |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212185718/https://www.advocate.com/current-issue/2017/11/21/wait-you-never-heard-danger-and-eggs |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=November 21, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} "quietly groundbreaking" for its number of LGBTQ characters,{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/amazon-danger-eggs-review/|title='Danger & Eggs' is a groundbreaking milestone in queer representation—and it's hilarious|date=2017-07-04|work=The Daily Dot|accessdate=2018-10-13|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324223850/https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/amazon-danger-eggs-review/|archive-date=March 24, 2020}} and praised for its "cast and creative team of LGBTQ people."{{Cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey |title=The Cast and Crew of "Danger & Eggs" Chat About Their Super Weird, Super Queer Kids Show |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/the-queer-and-trans-cast-of-danger-eggs-a-385688/ |website=Autostraddle |publisher=The Excitant Group LLC |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528125217/https://www.autostraddle.com/the-queer-and-trans-cast-of-danger-eggs-a-385688/ |archive-date=May 28, 2019 |date=July 24, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} Other reviews called it "something special that kids will love," will be cherished by adults, and young queer people.{{Cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey |title="Danger & Eggs" Is The Greatest Weirdest Queer-and-Trans Inclusive Kids Show Ever |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/danger-and-eggs-is-the-greatest-weirdest-queer-and-trans-inclusive-kids-show-ever-382906/ |website=Autostraddle |publisher=The Excitant Group LLC |accessdate=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413233519/https://www.autostraddle.com/danger-and-eggs-is-the-greatest-weirdest-queer-and-trans-inclusive-kids-show-ever-382906/ |archive-date=April 13, 2020 |date=July 1, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} The same year, Petosky joined Rebecca Sugar, Lauren Faust, and hundreds of others to animation studios demanding "an end to sexism and sexual harassment in the animation industry."{{Cite web |last1=Wolfe |first1=Jennifer |title=Women Working in Animation Pen Open Letter Calling for End to Harassment |url=https://www.awn.com/news/women-working-animation-pen-open-letter-calling-end-harassment |website=Animation World Network |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128053023/https://www.awn.com/news/women-working-animation-pen-open-letter-calling-end-harassment |archive-date=January 28, 2019 |date=October 19, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} Unfortunately, by February 2018, the future of Danger & Eggs was uncertain. As Petosky put it at the time, she felt that the show was in limbo, with the loss of the crew, without "much concern or enthusiasm" about the show, saying it "just slipped through the cracks." She lamented that the show's fate is up the new executive team on the show and predicted the show would probably be cancelled as a result. This assessment aligned with what she had said in an interview in July of the previous year: that there would be no second season that she knew of at the time.
Petosky co-created a Nickelodeon pilot called Ugly Mutt with Dan Hagen, and was the executive producer on the Netflix series Twelve Forever, sometime before July 2019.{{cite web |last1=Italie |first1=Leanne |title=Bandwagon builds for LGBTQ diversity on children's TV |url=https://apnews.com/1d447480a16b4fdcb428cc5f99ec6603 |website=apnews.com |publisher=Associated Press |accessdate=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211234053/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/bandwagon-builds-lgbtq-diversity-children-s-tv-n1037146 |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |date=July 31, 2019 |url-status=live}} However, in September 2019, she stated that she had no connection with the show since the spring of 2019.{{cite tweet|last1=Petosky|first1=Shadi|authorlink=Shadi Petosky|user=shadipetosky|number=1167999617490833410|date=August 31, 2019|title=I have heard this rumor. I get that it is coming from a sweet place but I don't have any connection to the show since we delivered Season 1 in the spring. Prior to that — 100s of rad folks made it good! |accessdate=September 1, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902202231/https://twitter.com/shadipetosky/status/1168399329893044226|archivedate=September 2, 2019|url-status=dead}} She is currently the executive producer on the upcoming sci-fi show, Forever Alone. In August 2018, she appeared at Flame Con, as did Kaitlyn Alexander, Julia Kaye, Irene Koh, MariNaomi, Molly Ostertag, ND Stevenson, Lilah Sturges, Mariko Tamaki and Brittney Williams.{{cite web |url= https://www.flamecon.org/guests/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180924125051/https://www.flamecon.org/guests/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 24, 2018 |title= Flame Con 2018 Guests (via archive) |date= May 12, 2018 |website=Flame Con official website |access-date= March 6, 2019 }}
=Social and political views=
Petosky is politically active. In 2002, she edited and animated the political videos for Bushboy.com, cited as pioneering Internet political parody videos pre-YouTube. The popularity of these video led to Petosky doing paid work for Arianna Huffington, Al Franken, and working with Eric Utne to create videos promoting instant-runoff voting. In 2016, in response to "statements of love and images" of men kissing, and in defiance of the homophobic feelings of the gunman Omar Mateen, who perpetrated the Orlando shooting, she posted "a collage of male couples kissing", which she says caused her to immediately lose "200 followers on Twitter," although the post was "liked more than a thousand times."{{Cite web |last1=Fares |first1=Melissa |title=#TwoMenKissing spreads love in defiance of Orlando killer |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting-socialmedia-idUSKCN0YZ2EV |website=Reuters |accessdate=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220213011/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting-socialmedia-idUSKCN0YZ2EV |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |date=June 13, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}{{Cite web |last1=Brand |first1=Yvette |title=#TwoMenKissing: Shadi Petosky posts pictures to defy the haters |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/two-men-kissing-shadi-petosky-orlando-transgender-twomenkissing-1.3631752 |publisher=CBC.ca |accessdate=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423082240/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/two-men-kissing-shadi-petosky-orlando-transgender-twomenkissing-1.3631752 |archive-date=April 23, 2017 |date=June 12, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} One year later, when interviewed by GLAAD, she stated that she has seen "negative consequences" for simultaneously working in the entertainment industry and being an early "vocal advocate for more fair and accurate representations of transgender people in the media," noting that some people have been scared to meet with her, with some telling her to tone down her posts, although others supported her. As such, she called for trans people to do work that is visible, and said it is weird that LGBT people are "underrepresented in the telling of their own cultural stories." She said something similar in a 2015 interview. Petosky also stated, in 2018, that Amazon told her to "tone down" her political messages, claiming it's unwelcome coming from someone working for them, and saying she should stop being as critical of the TSA.{{Cite web |last1=Arthur |first1=Kate |title=Show Creator Says Amazon Told Her To "Tone It Down" About Politics On Twitter |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/show-creator-says-amazon-told-her-to-tone-it-down-about |website=BuzzFeed |accessdate=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301053026/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/show-creator-says-amazon-told-her-to-tone-it-down-about |archive-date=March 1, 2019 |date=February 27, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}
Podcast appearances
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" width="33" |Year ! colspan="4" |Credited as ! rowspan="2" |Role ! rowspan="2" |Notes |
| width="65" |Writer
! width="65" |Executive Producer !Animation/Art !Other |
|---|
| scope="row" |Super
| 2010 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor |
| scope="row" |Dreamworld
| 2012 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor |
| scope="row" |Big Miracle
| 2012 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor |
| scope="row" |Movie 43
| 2013 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation producer for "Beezel" segment |
| scope="row" |Half Like Me
| 2015 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation producer |
| scope="row" |Ugly Mutt
| 2015 | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Voice of Bully Poodle | Animation producer |
| scope="row" |Ever After High: Dragon Games
| 2016 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Iris Opener
| 2017 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Voice of Cornelius | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Brightburn
| 2019 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Illustrator |
=Television=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" width="33" |Year ! colspan="4" |Credited as ! rowspan="2" |Role ! rowspan="2" |Notes |
| width="65" |Writer
! width="65" |Executive Producer ! width="65" |Producer !Animation/Art |
|---|
| scope="row" |Yo Gabba Gabba!
| 2007–2019 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor |
| scope="row" |Mystery Science Theater 3000
| 2007 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation producer |
| scope="row" |Hard 'n Phirm's Musical Timehole
| 2011 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Producer of pilot |
| scope="row" |Chris Hardwick: Mandroid
| 2012 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor |
| scope="row" |Mad
| 2012–2013 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor of 13 episodes |
| scope="row" |The Aquabats! Super Show!
| 2013 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor of five episodes |
| scope="row" |Parks and Recreation
| 2014 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation supervisor of "New Slogan". |
| scope="row" |Her Story
| 2015 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Title designer |
| scope="row" |Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street
| 2015 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Animation director on "Gortimer vs. The Terrible Touch-Up". |
| scope="row" |Chris Hardwick: Funcomfortable
| 2016 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Title sequence & vfx producer |
| scope="row" |Slumber Party
| 2016 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Herself | Appears in the episode "Shadi Petosky". |
| scope="row" |Danger & Eggs
| 2017 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Voiced six characters.{{efn|Pigeon Lady, Duncan, The Hugging Astronaut, Hot Dog Vendor, Flushing Guy, and Parched Runner}} | Voice director for five episodes; casting director for four episodes |
| scope="row" |555
| 2017 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Played Makeup Woman 1 | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Twelve Forever
| 2019 | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Forever Alone
| 2020 | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Somewhere I Am
| 2022 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | Unproduced television pilot; Sold to and developed for HBO Max |
| scope="row" |The Sandman
| 2022 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
| scope="row" |Clean Slate
| 2022 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | | style="background:#d3d3d3;" | |
Notes
{{notelist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter}}
- {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=6104|title=Shad Petosky}}
- [http://www.bigtimeattic.com/ Big Time Attic]
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{gcdb|type=credit|search=Shad+Petosky|title=Shad Petosky}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petosky, Shadi}}
Category:Animators from Montana
Category:People from Kalispell, Montana
Category:Transgender women artists
Category:American transgender artists
Category:American women animators
Category:American female comics artists
Category:LGBTQ people from Montana
Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder