A protest was held outside RTE in Dublin last night over the appearance of Graham Linehan on a programme on transgender issues.
The Father Ted co creator featured in a segment on Prime Time which focused on the increasing amount of young people looking to change gender.
Linehan has been criticised for his controversial opinions on the issue - he recently said that 'you don't tell vulnerable kids fairy stories about being born in the wrong body'.
Over 6,000 people had signed a petition calling for his appearance to be cancelled as he is not a medical expert on the topic.
Folks, In the same way that you don’t tell anorexic kids they need liposuction, you don’t tell vulnerable kids with feelings of dysphoria that they need surgery and drugs. You certainly don't tell them fairy stories about being "born in the wrong body".
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) January 20, 2019
Last night's programme has received mixed responses, LGBT activist Ailbhe Smyth says being transgender isn't a debate it's a reality.
What was th point of that #primetime? Becoming & being trans not a ‘debate’. It’s a reality. The legal changes are crucial to equality, dignity & life possibilities of trans young people. Need to just get on with it. #SolidariT #RTEPT @TENI_Tweets @BeLonG_To
— Ailbhe Smyth (@ailbhes) January 22, 2019
The Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty described it as 'bizarre'.
Trans people - especially kids - are vulnerable to lies, disinformation and prejudice. Primetime was bizarre. A complex and sensitive subject like gender identity is not best conveyed in a short on the one hand and on the other hand report...@TENI_Tweets @BeLonG_To #SolidariT
— Regina Doherty TD (@ReginaDo) January 22, 2019
However, Professor Donal O'Shea who runs the gender dysphoria clinic at St Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown in Dublin says there needs to be a discussion about gender and what it means today:
'Society only reaches a mature view with debate and discussion. Should an individual be allowed express their gender the way they feel their gender to be? Absolutely. And I think that is where society has moved. So it shouldn't be forcing anybody into a male box or a female box'.
