New CBBC drama about a 12-year-old transgender schoolgirl is praised by parents ‘for helping young people struggling with gender identity’ – but critics say it’s ‘just ticking diversity boxes’
- First Day, four-part drama about trans girl Hannah Bradford airs on CBBC at 5pm
- Trans teenager Evie Macdonald plays Hannah in the Australian-made show
- Charities and parents of trans children praised BBC for airing programme on its children’s channel CBBC saying it will help ‘struggling’ youngsters – but decision has also sparked criticism on social media
- Macdonald hit the headlines in 2018 when she confronted former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about a ‘disrespectful’ tweet he’d posted
A decision by the BBC to air a new children’s drama about a transgender schoolgirl has divided opinion on social media.
First Day, which was shown in Australia earlier this year, documents the life of Hannah Bradford, a 12-year-old transgender girl, as she starts a new school.
The four-part programme will air on CBBC, which is designed for six to 16-year-olds, at 5pm on Wednesday and will also be screened on BBC iPlayer.
The actor playing the role of Hannah is Evie Macdonald, a 15-year-old transgender teenager who once confronted former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on live TV about ‘disrespect’ shown to transgender youth in the country.
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First Day tells the fictional story of Hannah Bradford, a 12-year-old Australian girl starting high school in a new gender. It will air on CBBC, the BBC’s children’s channel on Wednesday at 5pm (Pictured: Evie Macdonald playing Hannah Bradford)
The show has aired already in Australia, were it was made, and stars trans teenager Evie Macdonald as main character Hannah Bradford
Ahead of the programme this evening, many have praised the BBC’s decision for showing the controversial drama, while others have criticised the broadcaster, saying it’s simply ‘ticking diversity boxes’.
On Twitter, FFLAG, an organisation for parents and families supporting the LGBT community, said: ‘Hopefully this series will make a positive impact in the lives of #trans kids and their families. #FirstDay #CBBC’
A teacher, @just_JoshyG, added: ‘So @cbbc are launching a new show called #FirstDay about a trans girl starting her first day at secondary school. Firstly, INCREDIBLE… Secondly, that’s an RSE/PSHE resource found for my Year 6s!’
However, the series has also been hit be negative reaction. @Carriedenne1 wrote: ‘You are stoking the fire of the trans contagion by showing programmes like First Day.
‘This is exactly why gender clinics are brimming with children. Put the brakes on it until you have done research.’
@STILLTish agreed, writing: ‘More #CBBC Propaganda to inculcate a bodily dissociative disorder in kids.’
@juliette0307 added: ‘It smells of “who forgot to check our diversity target?”‘
The programme has been widely praised, although others have criticised the decision to show a drama about transgender life to a young audience
The programme, originally screened by Australian channel ABCME, sees main character Hannah negotiating life at a new school as a transgender girl, including her fears that her peers will find out about her previous life.
Australian Evie Macdonald, who plays Hannah, made headlines around the world in 2018 when she confronted the country’s PM Scott Morrison live on TV at the age of 13.
The four-part show explores Hannah’s nervousness about starting a new school
Evie, born Ethan, spoke up for transgender Australians on Channel 10’s The Project, telling Mr Morrison ‘we don’t deserve to be disrespected.’
‘There are thousands of kids in Australia that are gender-diverse and we don’t deserve to be disrespected like that through tweets from our Prime Minister,’ she said.
Her comments followed a controversial tweet from Mr Morrison, in which he said schools do not need ‘gender whisperers’.
‘We do not need ‘gender whisperers’ in our schools. Let kids be kids,’ he posted on Twitter.