11th May 2021
"Britain's Youngest Transgender Child"
"Britain's Youngest Transgender Child"
Yesterday, Phil and Holly welcomed the parents of Stormy, “Britain’s Youngest Transgender Child.”
The segment shows Matthew and Klara talking about how they validate their daughter, by affirming her as the opposite sex.
Klara explained that despite asking pre-schooler Stormy “every other day” whether she was a girl, a boy, or non-binary, the child insisted on wearing “boys” clothes and having a short hair style like her brother. This prompted the couple to seek help from Mermaids.
Phil stated that, as a family, it seems they could not have handled the situation any better. Holly appeared to be equally full of admiration, explaining how fitting into a girl box or a boy box is not consistent with reality (missing the point that raising a girl who does not like “feminine” things as a boy, is strictly reinforcing gender stereotypes, not breaking them down).
The differences between yesterday’s This Morning interview and the one with Keira Bell do not go unnoticed. Back in October 2020, Phil challenged Keira after reading a statement in which she said that people cannot change sex, as he felt that was a “big thing to say”. After Keira had discussed how her transition had left her with lifelong changes, Phil felt it appropriate to mention the several trans people he had met who were happy with their decision, and even suggested that young people would lose their lives if they did not have access to medical transition.
Balance was seriously lacking in yesterday’s show - there was no mention of Keira, or other detransitioners who came to realise that altering their body was not the answer. Neither presenter asked questions with regards to the future implications of affirming Stormy as the opposite sex, nor did they explore why the young girl thought she was a boy in the first place.
Call to Action
Complain to ITV and OFCOM . Thank you to Stoat for providing notes which you can use as template.