Trans Neighbours star Georgie Stone blames media for kicking trans kids ‘like footballs’

Trans activist and Neighbours actress Georgie Stone has blamed the media for stoking hatred against trans people across the world, accusing it of endangering lives.

Speaking at the National Press Club in the Australian capital, Canberra, on Tuesday (4 April) Stone called on governments to stand with trans people.

Stone said that conversations about trans people are “dehumanising” and children have been “kicked around like footballs” for political talking points.

She added that the portrayal of trans men and women in the media endangered transgender people everywhere.

“People like me are made to be predators and evil – a harmfully false assertion that creates a culture that endangers my safety and the safety of the trans community,” she said.

The actress also criticised the “nonsensical” attacks on drag queens.

“We live in a world were drag queens are dangerous, but Nazis should be protected for their rights to free speech when they stand on the steps of parliament and call for the genocide of a minority group. These opinions are hate speech.”

Stone was referring to a recent incident that occurred in Victoria when the Nationalist Socialist Network, a neo-Nazi group, attended a rally held by anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen. The men repeatedly gave the Nazi salute, according to The Guardian.

Stone became emotional as she issued a call to action, asking allies to help relieve the burden trans people carry every day.

“We can’t keep fighting by ourselves. This weight we’re carrying is crushing and relentless. We need our allies to shoulder some of the burden, because you can’t celebrate with us at World Pride, then scatter when the attacks come.

“If you want the glitter and the confetti, you also have to stand with us when it’s uncomfortable and scary too,” she said.

At 10, Stone became the youngest person in Australia to receive hormone blockers, setting a precedent that transgender children wouldn’t need to go to Family Court to access hormone treatment.

She has continued to be an activist in the face of rising anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, which has been rife in Australia recently, with anti-trans views being expressed by politicians such as Mark Latham who tried to pass a bill that would ban discussion around gender diversity in schools.

Katherine Deves has also fuelled anti-trans sentiment in the country.

Last year, The Guardian reported that the Liberal Party politician claimed trans children were “confused and misled by identity politics”, and were likely to be gay or lesbian, and that opposing the bill was playing “the game of wilfully pretend[ing] that they are the opposite sex”.