Neighbours’ First Trans Character Mackenzie Is Coming To Ramsay Street Next Month

Georgia Stone

Trans youth advocate Georgie Stone is heading to Ramsay Street next month to make Neighbours history as the first ever trans character.

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Speaking to Australian Women’s Weekly, Stone shed some more light on her character Mackenzie, who she will portray in a two month stint.

“She’s absolutely the character I wish I had seen as a kid,” Georgie revealed.

“I would have gone to this place of self-acceptance sooner if I had seen a happy, high-achieving trans character growing up.’”

Georgie reveals she was invited to audition for the series within two hours of pitching the role to producers via email.

After officially joining the cast, Georgie aided writers in ensuring the process of transitioning was accurately depicted in the story.

“I help them to ensure it’s truthful at the same time as dramatic by not shying away from the experiences trans people face – coming out, relationships, good allies who listen, internalised shame from bullying,” she explained.

In 2018, Stone was named Victoria’s Young Australian of the Year after her work as a transgender youth advocate. She is the youngest person in Australia to receive hormone blockers and successfully campaigned to change the law so trans children, with parental and medical consent, no longer have to go through the Family Court to access the first stage of hormone treatment. Stone has also appeared on Four Corners and Australian Story to tell her story, educate others, and promote acceptance and equality.

“When I was growing up as a trans young person I did not see anyone out there who I could relate to,” Stone told Herald Sun.

There was no one on Australian TV screens, on any TV screens really, that had a positive depiction of a trans person, specifically a trans young person. There was no one who I could connect to and I felt quite isolated because of that, so that is why I am so excited about this opportunity.

She hopes her guest role will connect with other trans youth across the country and overseas.

“I really hope that there will be some trans young people out there who have felt isolated before and then see this character and feel that they are not alone, or that they feel OK to be who they are, and that this story can teach other people how to treat trans young people.”

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