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Jeremy Clarkson’s “evil” “transphobic” remarks come under fire

Jeremy Clarkson’s “evil” “transphobic” remarks come under fire

Transgender activists are sharply criticizing TV host Jeremy Clarkson after flippant, dismissive remarks about the trans community were published in a recent Sunday Times column.

In an op-ed piece called “Transgender issues are driving me nuts,” the former Top Gear presenter recounts a story he heard about an 8-year-old trans girl who had been assigned male at birth but living as a female since the age of 3.

“Her parents had simply indulged this whim,” Clarkson writes.

“As far as I was concerned, men who want to be women were only really to be found on the Internet or in the seedier bits of Bangkok. They were called ladyboys, and in my mind they were nothing more than the punchline in a stag night anecdote.”

“I was told there are 650,000 people living in Britain today with some kind of gender ‘issue.’ Well, I just sat there shaking my head, because the simple fact is: there aren’t.”

A spokesperson for LGBTQ rights group Stonewall commented, “As someone who’s spouted racism, homophobia and sexism throughout his career, Clarkson’s damaging and ridiculous transphobic views come with little surprise. Vitriol like this shows how much work we have left to do –- and is extremely hurtful not just to trans people, but their friends and families, and no doubt most people with a moral compass.”

Trans activist Paris Lees took to Twitter to express disgust.

“Parents aren’t forcing kids to be transgender,” Lees wrote. “The overwhelming majority of trans people have had to fight to be accepted by their families.”

“My father bullied me for years, hitting me and criticizing me to try and make me macho. Trans kids need love and acceptance,” Lees continued.

A petition is now calling on Amazon Prime to drop Clarkson from his forthcoming show.

h/t: Mashable

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