Transgender actor Yasmin Finney, who is joining the cast of Doctor Who, confirmed that the character the actor is set to play is also transgender while speaking at a London Trans+ Pride event.
The 18-year-old actor, whose breakthrough role was in Netflix’s LGBTQ+ teen series Heartstopper, revealed the new Doctor Who character’s gender dysphoria while directly addressing U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson in a speech, according to a report by Pink News.
“Boris, I hope you see Heartstopper, I hope you see Doctor Who, because I exist, and I know you know I exist,” Finney told the crowd on July 9.
“We all exist, and we’re not going anywhere! Period,” the actor added. “We’re all here and we’re just duplicating — look at how many of us there are. Like, hello? Boris! Bye!”
Netflix’s Heartstopper — the show in which Finney shot to fame — is rated TV-14. Meanwhile, Doctor Who is has a TV-PG rating, which suggests that parents may find the content “unsuitable for younger children,” and may “want to watch it with their younger children,” according to tvguidelines.org.
The episodes in which Finney will play Rose are due to air in 2023 to coincide with the show’s 60th anniversary, according to Doctor Who‘s website.
“If anyone would have told 8 year old Yasmin that one day she’d be part of this iconic show, I would have never in a million years believed them,” Finney said of joining Doctor Who in a statement.
“This show has a place in so many people’s hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it’s made my life,” the actor added. “I cannot wait to begin this journey and for you all to see how Rose blossoms. Get Ready.”
The shows are just a few of the latest examples of Hollywood’s concerted, industry-wide effort to place LGBTQ-related content onto kids’ television screens.
Recently, Netflix’s Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp confirmed that Will, a fan-favorite character in the show, is “gay and he does love Mike,” making the popular series also one of the latest to feature LGBTQ+ content aimed at young TV audiences.
In April, Disney released what has been described as the “gayest kid’s movie yet,” as the company continues to pay fealty to radical queer activists with its attacks on Florida’s anti-grooming legislation.
And while LGBTQ characters and themes continue to appear on children’s television screens, more young people than ever are identifying as non-binary.
Moreover, the increase of such content in shows made for children in the last decade is not an organic development. It is the consequence of so-called “queer creators” pushing the LGBTQ agenda, and working with major entertainment networks, writers, producers, showrunners, and directors.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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