Denise Welch admits avoiding trans debate over ‘fear of being cancelled’ as ITV panel address gender ruling
Denise Welch and her ITV co-stars admitted on Thursday that they have avoided touching on the transgender debate in the past due to cancellation fears.
The 66-year-old made the revelation in light of Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling of the definition of a woman.
After admittedly avoiding the subject, it became the topic of conversation on Thursday’s Loose Women, with the panel addressing previous concerns.
“This is the big news of the day, of course, it’s across many, if not all, of the front pages,” Kaye Adams, 62, began.
She detailed: “UK Supreme Court judges have unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under the equalities law.
“Now the judge, Lord Hodge, has stressed that the ruling should not be seen as a triumph of one side over the other, and that the law still gives protection against discrimination to transgender people.
“Now, I think this has become a very toxic debate, hasn’t it? Probably over the last seven or eight years, and I think if we’re being honest, on the panel, we’re nervous about talking about it.”
“Absolutely, because the debate has been hijacked and it’s very, very hard because we’re all, especially those of us in the public eye, terrified of cancellation and saying the wrong thing,” Welch interjected.
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Adams added: “And also out of genuine regard for the women who have felt this was very important in terms of protections in places like hospitals, prisons, refuges, sport – but also out of regard of of the trans community, who are a small and vulnerable community.
“We’ve all heard of stories, haven’t we? Of individuals in the community who are scared right now, and I don’t think anyone wants to see that.”
“Where did this toxicity start?” Nadia Sawalha probed, to which Adams responded: “I don’t know it’s so interesting.”
She continued: “Because the character of Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street – how long ago was that Denise?”
“About 25 years, I would say. I was there so it’s about 25 years,” the actress replied.
“20 years ago, a trans woman won a Big Brother,” Sawalha pointed out.
She added: “Now for the trans community, of course, they would have always suffered terrible, prejudice and discrimination.
“But what point were people being asked to hate and be so angry?”
“This morning, I spoke to Jake Graf. You may know of Jake and Hannah Graf, a well known trans couple married to each other,” Welch explained before comparing the debate to Brexit.
She added: “And Hannah is is really feeling the pain of this ruling. She is a trans woman who has served in the army, and she feels that she has served her country, and she feels that the country have turned against her.
“And Jake made a very good analogy when I was trying to think what to say.
“He said, ‘It’s like Brexit, no matter what your feelings about Brexit are, it gave people almost the right to be racist and say racist things.’
“And he said this gives people, especially those who don’t really understand the trans community, the opportunity to challenge.
“And it’s made Hannah very fearful. She’s a mum of two daughters, you know, she’s lived her life very happily as a trans woman, with all of the abuse that comes their way anyway.
“And I completely understand that and I think it’s about definitely protecting the rights biological women, but also still protecting the trans community.”