Loose Women panellist: Transgender is ‘fashionable’ with kids like self-harming and bulimia
A panellist on Loose Women has claimed that being transgender is fashionable with kids, like self-harming and bulimia.
The ITV show launched into a discussion of trans issues today – but appeared to demonstrate a lack of understanding among its own panellist.
Host Andrea McLean said: “There’s been a quadruple rise in the number of children who have been referred to the NHS because of transgender feelings.”
“Transgender is a word that has been bandied around an awful lot in the last 12 months or so, especially because of the Caitlyn Jenner case over in America.”
Confusing gender and sexuality, she added: “One case is wonderful and lovely, how accepting people are of fluid sexuality… but the is that young children are now questioning their sexuality and their gender at such a young age… is that refreshing, or is it a worry.”
Nadia Sawalha added: “Last year my step daughter told me the ‘in’ thing at school was self harming, and then before that it had been throwing up. You know, fashionable words that have been taken on.
“The other day, [my children] were playing, and we actually heard from the other room, ‘which one of us is going to be transgender?’ – can you imagine that, even a year ago?”
She added: “The other day, [my husband] Mark went oh, I feel like a woman, and Kiki went: ‘You’re not going to become a woman, are you?’… can you imagine when we were eight even thinking about that?”
Gloria Hunniford said: “You can understand homosexuality, but when your child says I’m transgender, is a whole new thing.”
The discussion did not go down well on social media, with Twitter users shocked by the apparent lack of research that has gone into the discussion.
It isn’t the first time the show has attracted attention.
Earlier this year, Coleen Nolan compared a cake supporting same-sex marriage to one supporting terrorist group ISIS.
