David Tennant has once again made an impassioned declaration of support for the transgender community.
In recent history, the Doctor Who actor has repeatedly made headlines thanks to his allyship towards trans and gender non-conforming people – most notably with a subtle gesture during a TV interview that wound up helping to raise £18,000 for the LGBTQ+ youth charity AKT.
Over the weekend, David made an appearance at the Proud Nerd convention in Germany, where he was asked by a fan about his own “relationship with gender expression”, in light of his past support for trans people.
As recorded in a viral TikTok that has already accrued more than half a million views, the former Broadchurch star said: “When I was a kid, the idea of being non-binary wasn’t something that existed. It wasn’t a concept. I’ve seen that emerge, and people are able to express themselves through that. It only ever seems positive as far as I can see.”
Elaborating on the “weaponisation of trans rights”, he continued: “I remember, when I was a teenager, I remember gay rights being weaponised politically. And that always felt ugly and nasty, and now, we look back on that, 30 years later, and those people are clearly on the wrong side of history.
“And now, there is a similar weaponisation of these topics being taken by mostly the right-wing, or certain sections of society, trying to create friction and conflict and division where it needn’t be. It’s just about people being themselves, you don’t need to be bothered about it.”
“Fuck off and let people be,” he concluded, which was met with a round of applause from the room.
In a follow-up video, David could be heard saying: “I think that there are now ways of expressing gender identity and sexuality that are more nuanced than they once were, and that only seems to be positive – if that helps people to know who they are and say who they are and communicate to the world who they are. It’s just common sense, really.
“Some people are trying to create division where it needn’t be so that they can score points or stoke up a level of division and that can be very dangerous and lead to a lot of hatred. And it’s so fucking unnecessary.”
Last year, David shared that his public support for the trans community “suit what Doctor Who is all about”.
“The Doctor has always supported the other, the unusual, the disenfranchised,” he said. “That’s what that show’s about.”
David also shared his belief that “most people are decent, honest, understanding people who just want to live together harmoniously” and insisted: “We just need to banish the noise and banish the hate.”
Help and support:
- The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
- Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
- LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
- Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
- Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK