Yes and No

Yes and No. That's the answer to several questions and while congratulations is due to Jared Leto for winning the Oscar for best supporting actor. He deserves it, but that raises the questions and the answers on both sides.

Yes, the people who made the movie, "The Dallas Buyer's Club", did have the right to pick whomever they wanted to play the role of the transgender woman with HIV since it wasn't a depiction of any real person.

But no, they didn't have the right to ignore the opportunity it would have given the many transgender actresses who could have played the part and probably better than Mr. Leto. It's one thing to credit a non-transgender (male) actor for playing a transgender woman, but totally different when someone's know the role by experience and life.

Yes, the transgender community had the right to express criticism, even outrage, at the move producers for their failure to give audtions and opportunity to transgender actresses. The producers had every obligation to give audtions.

No, the transgender community had no right to demand a transgender actress play the part unless they're willing to be the producer and write the checks.

Ok, not a real answer, but in the end, the producers missed an opportunity to help the transgender community and the transgender community missed an opportunity to engage the producers to get audtions and even a part.

But in the end, it's clear the role they wanted in the movie and it wasn't so much about a transgender woman but a supporting role to the lead roles, and Jared Leto wanted the role. That said, my congratulations to him isn't whole-hearted, but I doubt he cares because it was just a role to play than it being a real opportunity for a transgender actress.