#(like a referendum but not politically binding. parliament didn't have to pass it even if people voted yes)

[the--highlanders]

I've been thinking a lot about this whole RTD thing and I guess what I keep coming back to is.

he wrote Jack kissing Nine in 2005. at a point in time where he must have known that having a same-gender kiss on a 'family show' was going to attract some pretty open vitriol - I mean, it probably still would now, but even more so back then. he must have known that any homophobic commentary around that would have reached the ears and eyes of vulnerable people, and would have hurt them. he could have opted to make a different writing decision - just had them shake hands, or nod to each other. anything at all. but he stuck with it and had them kiss. maybe knowing that showing that kiss on tv would do good, even if the backlash would do bad.

I do believe he's made the decision not to carry over Thirteen's clothes out of a place of genuine concern. and I do think it's heavily influenced not just by the levels of rabid transphobia in the UK at the moment, but by his own experiences as a gay man who has lived through a lot of very serious homophobia and transphobia. I believe he's wanting to spare people the pain of that backlash. and I can't blame him for that. maybe there's no right choice here. someone's always going to get hurt.

but I just wonder what the effect might have been if he'd stuck with it, just as he did in 2005. knowing that there would be backlash, but choosing to put a male actor in clothes designed for a female actor anyway. I have no doubt that there would have been people who laughed, or raged, or threw out all sorts of horrific things. but if he'd gone with it, and never made a joke of it in the show, never had a comedic moment or written any character commenting on it, just treated it as if it were as normal as any other regeneration costume carry-over -

maybe it wouldn't have changed anyone's minds. the people writing transphobic headlines and takes on social media probably wouldn't have picked up any nuance from the show, or have been effected by it treating the whole thing as if it were normal. but it would have /been there/, like Jack kissing Nine was in 2005. just there, in the show, normal. we've never gotten anywhere without vitriol and hatred and criticism following along. and I can't shake the feeling that it would have mattered, just like it did in 2005, if he'd taken that risk.

#other #dw negativity #<- again for filtering #idk!!! maybe i'm sticking my neck out for saying this #and i really do sympathise and agree with him/uk people who are saying he was right #that sort of vitriol could do a lot of damage #but if we have to wait to show a male actor in a female actor's costumes until there's not so much hatred #how long do we have to wait? #and how do we ever get rid of that hatred if we're too afraid to show anything? #like i'm a queer australian ok #and idk if non-aus people know this #but a couple years ago we had a plebiscite on marriage equality #(like a referendum but not politically binding. parliament didn't have to pass it even if people voted yes) #the no campaign was VICIOUS. it was nasty. people were abused and physically attacked #the right of queer people to marry and have relationships and live openly was discussed in the media #and all that hatred did a lot of damage. it hurt a lot of people #but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have held the vote #and we won in the end #now this isn't a marriage equality vote this is a silly scifi tv show #but i think you can apply the principle #images are powerful. images carry weight #yes it would have hurt but maybe there would have been a little bit of hope in there too. a little bit of normalisation. #anyway if you want to discuss/rebut this nicely go ahead!! happy to hear other people's perspectives #just be nice thanks <3