Butterfly - Feedback from ITV to email complaint

[ShineyNewName5032]

As many on here have noted Butterfly is possibly one of the most controversial topics covered on ITV. I wrote to express my concerns this is the response:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your email concerning ITV’s new drama series Butterfly.

The producers consulted with senior clinical psychologists as well as the charity Mermaids. Most importantly, they spoke to families and children about their own lived experiences. The programme does not “promote” Mermaids, although the charity is depicted in a handful of scenes across three episodes. It depicts the family being advised by a range of different professionals, and indeed being offered a range of different advice, both in this country and the United States.

We do not consider that the drama is irresponsible or could “lead to more suicides”. The drama depicts a nuanced and complex story of an unhappy child, whose feelings are increasingly distressing, and which are leading to self-harming. This reflects the lived experience of some young people who are not comfortable in their assigned gender, but we do not suggest that Maxine represents all young people in this situation. It is clear that our fictional families’ problems are complex, as Maxine’s parents both clearly wish to protect their child, but cannot agree on the best course of action, and this conflict is itself shown to be damaging to Maxine’s wellbeing.

Nevertheless, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie
Viewer Services Supervisor

I am intrigued by this as well. But I believe (happy to be corrected) that in children there are generally other things going on autism / depression / trauma etc. Maybe there just aren't that many happy children who transition?

And that's exactly why more research is needed, isn't it? If 'being trans' is just something that can happen, that can't be changed - like being gay- then why the correlation with autism and so on?

Where are all the trans people who are otherwise fully adjusted and happy, whose families reject stereotypes and support gender non-conformity? There must be lots out there, surely?

I see no reason why anyone wouldn't want as many opinions as possible before making a life long decision!

Precisely. The transwoman I met while leafletting for FPFW was strongly of the view that the GRC process should remain as it is, Storm.

The two year trial period was good because it allowed her to be sure about what she wanted. The medical bit was important too. One of the roles the process plays is to filter out applicants will predatory or largely sexual motives. She said transsexuals like her had spent many years proving that they weren't transvestites but now the TRAs were ruining things

She said getting her GRC was a big step. She felt the process protected her and wider society, and that Self ID was sure to be abused.

and I've heard from some old-school trans identified men that in fact they think it should be more rigorous. But certainly not less.

But the TRAs brand them as truscum and silence them even more that they silence feminists.

My name is a tribute to the magnificent Graham Linnehan Feminist4

plus I rather love being called Bernard

what, you mean you're not a misanthropic drunk Irish bookseller? Well, that's disappointing.

feminist4 you have said you are here to put across a different side, with explanations. Good. It's always good to look at both side of any debate/argument before making or forming or changing, your opinion.

But unfortunately and disappointingly, you haven't given any facts or research, or dare I say an informed opinion. You have refused to read/look at anything put forward to you though.

Yet it would be the perfect opportunity for you to expose/debunk, counter it with your proper (peer reviewed) research, government stats ect...

many people here have put time into reading up on and around the issue, have looked at what some TRAs use to put forward as fact, and debunked it.

If you are not willing to debate with evidence to back you up, it's a bit like you coming on and telling people the earth is flat, then sticking your fingers in your ears and saying "lalalalalaa" and shouting "meanies" when people show you evidence that the world is actually in fact, round.

So do (some) parents of children with body dysphoria think that only one doctor should see the child before hormones, etc are given? Or think no doctors should be involved? I wasn’t aware of this.

What is their reason for it?

Trying to censor drama is not the way ahead.

Nobody is saying Butterfly shouldn't have been made or that drama shouldn't explore transgender identities as a cultural phenomenon.

People are saying that Samaritans guidelines should be adhered to when portraying self harming or suicidal behaviours among minors and that 11-year-olds should not be depicted on screen in hyper-sexualised ways.

It's not us saying that's the only way it's possible to make such a drama: it's ITV and the transactivists.

Hormone blockers are to delay puberty. It is about enabling youngsters to have time to make the decision and reduce the bodily changes of puberty.

Long term use of GnRH analogues (hormone blockers) can cause bone wastage. This is one of the reasons why, when used for endometriosis, treatment is limited to six months. So they may reduce the bodily changes of puberty, but at what cost?

Where are all the trans people who are otherwise fully adjusted and happy, whose families reject stereotypes and support gender non-conformity? There must be lots out there, surely?

And where are all the transgirls that don't like wearing skirts or makeup and do like trains and football? There must be lots, surely?

Researchers trying to study the use of psychedelics in the treatment of PTSD are being hampered because they are illegal even when they are relatively harmless.

If I wanted to put a new painkiller on the market I’d have to do clinical trials even if the drug was available for the treatment of other conditions.

Yet we can put drugs designed for other uses into prepubescent children without knowing the long term consequences.

MrsKcastle, I think it showed the attitude of many parents. Nobody wants their child to be transgender as it is an awful journey and they face huge amounts of abuse. People are beginning to accept transgender people, but stereotypes remain - as on this board. Many trans children feel alienatated from their own parents who refuse to accept what their child is going through. I think Butterfly reflected both types of parent in one family.

Butterfly reflected a very dysfunctional family with lots of problems and portrayed them all as ingrained stereotypes, clutching for an answer that is not the answer to their problems but will smooth them over with a nice sparkly veneer.

I don't think so melamin

Many trans children feel alienatated from their own parents who refuse to accept what their child is going through. I think Butterfly reflected both types of parent in one family.

What do you mean by 'accept what their child is going through'? Both parents were well aware that their child was very troubled. They just seemed to have a different view of what action should be taken. Neither of them took the view of many of us on here, that the child should have been allowed to express himself as he wanted to.

We have both parents saying there is only one way to be a boy. The mother thinks that if the boy doesn't behave like a stereotypical boy, then he is really a girl. The father says that he should behave like a stereotypical boy and bullies him to try to make him change. Neither of them is saying that he's fine just the way he is - a boy with stereotypically girlish interests.

Feminist4 so are you saying gender stereotypes are the way to go? and a child who displays the oppersite stereotype to thier sex, needs to "transition" to be able to wear/do the stereotypes.

Or are you saying gender stereotypes are bad, and a child should be able to display the oppersite gender stereotypes?

There are three ways of looking at this issue. The programme only covers two of them.

I don't think so melamin

You obviously do not recognise dysfunction in families.

It never takes all that long before people accusing FWR Mnetters of ''transphobia' resort to ad hominem attacks and name-calling, along with the absolute inability to produce any statistics or evidence to support their claims.

I find it very telling that the most ardent proponent of transing children on here objects to a poster’s user name as not being feminine enough for a woman.

SirVix Exactly! Parent of trans child buys into gender stereotypes - shock. (And it's more fitting for a female poster to be called 'Bernard' then someone with Feminist's views calling themselves Feminist.)

Spot on sirvix

I think there is a big difference between feeling like a girl and occasionally dressing as a girl. It's clear that many posters on here can't distinguish the two though.

but you still haven't explained how a boy can feel like a girl.

What does feeling like a girl fee like Fem? I've been one my whole life and I can't tell you