Neighbours new trans character

[GillyWeasel]

So, this is my first ever post on MN. I have been - what I think it is referred to as - lurking for some time. I was peak transed many months ago but have been prompted to share my frustrations this week after something that has particularly riled me.

I watch Neighbours and have done for years, yes I know, what an admission. It is pretty cheesy but for me it is a bit of escapism at the end of the day. However, I will no longer be watching it since their introduction of a new character, Mackenzie. What has enraged me most is that this is a school age child. I had a whiff of how the wind was blowing on the show a while ago when one of the characters decide that their inspirational for international women’s day was Laverne Cox
As soon as Mackenzie was introduced, my heart sank. I had my suspicion confirmed by the following two articles, both of which have made my blood boil.

inews.co.uk/culture/television/georgie-stone-neighbours-actor-mackenzie-hargreaves-transgender-character/

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/aug/30/neighbours-first-trans-character-might-not-change-the-world-but-she-could-change-lives

inews, reporting that Georgie Stone is youngest person in Australia to have been given hormone blockers at age 10. Not just reporting but gloating that this contributed to changing the law there, which previously ‘compelled’ children wanting drugs having to apply to the family court. Wow, what an achievement, actually making it easier for young kids to access life changing, debilitating medication. I presume this family are the Australian equivalent of a certain CEO’s family of a certain British organisation which I will not name.

Then, the Guardian, again gloating that ‘trans actors will replace cis actors’, thank goodness, all will be right with the world now
They report, spoiler alert, and the reason I am writing now, the upcoming story line. Fellow pupils demonstrate, demanding that this character be given use of the female bathrooms.

FFS, I find this so irresponsible and damaging when, in the UK, sensible parents are battling against the nonsense guidelines pushed onto schools, gaslighting young girls into believing they are wrong for recognising male bodies in their changing areas.
This is mainstream tv, being shown twice a day, what a message to reinforce to school children. I will be complaining to channel 5 and they have lost a viewer. I can’t watch this woke BS, and who knows what the story line will be in a few months time.
Paul Robinson (most evil character) misgendering Mackenzie and being forcibly arrested? Mackenzie breaking the girls sprint record at Erinsborough high? Dr Karl Kennedy prescribing hormone blockers and carrying out top surgery at Erinsborough hospital?

I thought I'd look on Wikipedia and count the number of characters Neighbours has had over the years. I got to 173 and lost interest.

Like Julie Hesmondhalgh playing Hayley Cropper?

Had to google those names, but yes, like that. Wikipedia says she played that role from 1998, so since many people will have seen this character on TV, they might think that 'transwomen' actually look like Hayley Cropper, who was played by a woman, and that's who they'll immediately think of when they hear about transwomen if they don't know any in real life. Presumably the programme makers' intent was to try to convince people that 'transwomen' really are indistinguishable from women.

I got to 173 and lost interest.

You'd think it'd be more, Lang.

I guess it's difficult to create that many interested or interesting parties if you're a bit of third rate non-entity of a programme. Guess it wont stop them trying. Bless.

The actor who plays her is a trans gender rights activist.

Just saying...

I had no idea Neighbours was still on.

I was a bit annoyed by a sitcom that had a transwoman being played by a woman

It was a repeat from a few years back

But the 10 year old on puberty blockers is just horrendous

I really thought you were admitting to watching your neighbours out of your window when you got in from work but won't be doing anymore after they adopted a school aged trans child.

I have no idea tbh. I just thought I'd play it safe as I am already on my second strike.

I am just waiting for someone to come along and accuse me of misgendering Georgie Stone for referring to her as an actor...

Wow, Dr Karl Kennedy and Paul Robertson are still around? I remember them from the days I was skiving school and sitting round watching daytime TV.

I’ll wager a squillion Aussie dollars that there won’t be a storyline about how “Mackenzie” has no sexual function as a result of hormone treatment.

Wow, Dr Karl Kennedy and Paul Robertson are still around? I remember them from the days I was skiving school and sitting round watching daytime TV.

Have to say that was my first thought too! Paul Robinson has been in it since the late 80s! I even remember the Stefan Dennis single.

They had an episode of Silent Witness a while ago which features a large trans cast. However, they had clearly been chosen just because they were trans because the acting was appalling. But yes, I of course think trans people should get acting jobs on the same basis as any other people- hopefully based on merit. Although it’s not quite the same as being BAME which is more comparable to age, height etc. Being trans is being one sex but identifying with the other. There is no consensus of what medical treatment is required to be considered trans. Many trans people have made very few modifications to their bodies. Therefore I see being trans as more of an experience than a state of being. I don’t think actors need to have experienced the things they are portraying. Therefore I cannot see an issue with someone who is not transgender playing a trans part eg Eddie Redmayne or Julie Hesmondhalgh.

Like Julie Hesmondhalgh playing Hayley Cropper?

I think trans ideology has moved on a bit from the Hayley Cropper days.

Hayley was portrayed as a non-feminine woman. No make up, short, non flattering haircut, frumpy clothes that disguised shape. Basically a person with more stereotypically masculine traits.

These days trans women tend to adopt the female stereotype, especially those in the media focus. Make up, jewellery, clothes to show off boobs and legs.

Hayley was more the old school transsexual type, as I remember.

I really wish we could ban the phrase “puberty blockers”. It’s such harmless sounding little phrase for what they actually do, especially when the word “reversible” is chucked in there.

GnRH analogs essentially switch off your reproductive organs.

Would people have the same response if they were described as “menopause inducers”? Sterilisers? Much more accurate.

We've been banned from discussing "politics" on the usual Neighbours thread so I'm pretty sure my observations, or anything remotely critical of the actor/character, wouldn't be welcome there.

I can't warm to the character at all. The acting is wooden & I genuinely can't tell if it's worry/anger/constipation/disgust that's supposed to be being conveyed most of the time. I'd happily say that about any other character on the usual thread but I don't feel allowed to say it about this character. That bothers me.

It's very jarring when Neighbours does a "public service announcement" storyline. Susan lectured other adults on how offensive it is to use the individuals previous name but it was blatantly aimed at viewers in a very "this is how you should think" way. I'm expecting a few more of these "explaining" scenes before everyone is accepting & eventually they'll run out of trans-related storylines & then not really know what to do with the character.

At least, that's what happen on EastEnders - it was all about the trans issue until that was done & then the character just floated around a bit until they were written out. They didn't really have much of a storyline other than being trans. I don't subscribe to gender ideology myself but I'd find these sort of storylines a lot less irritating if they just brought in a new character who happened to be trans without making it into a whole thing. If they're going to bring in trans characters they should be given something that makes them interesting as a character beyond how they present.

Another article in the Guardian today.
www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/07/it-takes-a-lot-of-courage-rebekah-robertson-on-raising-transgender-activist-georgie-stone

Georgie's mother sounds just like Susie Green.
Georgie’s female identity became apparent very early on. This was expressed in both her relationship to her body and her interests. From Buzz Lightyear to toy trucks, “[Georgie] feminised everything”

But it's not about stereotypes.

next they will be insisting that BAME characters are played by BAME actors next.

Doesn't this just reveal the problems with identity politics though? BAME includes all kinds of disparate peoples, can you just substitute one in for another, if that is really the concern?

In fact, there are many BAME actors who can and will play people from various backgrounds, so long as it is convincing to the audience. Native American actors very often play people of hispanic descent or Asian descent, or else they would not get much work. And in movies that have a lot of First Nations extras many of them are filled by anyone who has the right look because often there are not enough indigenous actors available to fill all the spots. You see the same thing among many nationalities and disparate groups where there are similar kinds of situations.

The most sensible reason people get concerned about actors being hired for roles written for their ethnicity is that in the past many such actors were sidelined entirely, and awareness of casting in that way can help prevent that. But if you take it as more than that it easily becomes idiotic as when some African-American actors complained about British actors being cast in roles playing black Americans, because they didn't bring the right kind of understanding or experience to the role somehow.

AGnu I've also come across from that thread as I don't feel I can post what I feel on there.

It's so blatantly one rule for trans and one for every other issue. Forcing others to repeat and believe lies because the cult of trans cannot be questioned.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see if Mea ups her game in the 'every single thing must be about me' stakes by having some competition

Well - today’s episode had Susan demonstrating that the only person who matters, whose feelings matter, whose fears and worries matter, is Mackenzie. Everyone else should just STFU and drink the kool aid.

Neigbors still exists? Sounds like they're laying it on a bit thick with this storyline.

I really thought you were admitting to watching your neighbours out of your window when you got in from work but won't be doing anymore after they adopted a school aged trans child.

One of my neighbours (must be late 50s) has recently started dressing as a woman and has suddenly started spending a ridiculous amount of time planting flowers and tending to their front garden (not a euphemism). I'm definitely a bit intrigued as said individual is a builder and not at all somebody I'd have guessed would make the transition.