CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses suicide, self-harm, and mental health issues.
Channel Seven has issued an apology after using pictures of a transgender woman in a promo for a television special which claims that children are being forced into transitioning and regretting it.
TikToker and transgender advocate Grace Hyland took to the social media platform on Sunday after coming across an ad for an episode of 7NEWS Spotlight. The program, which the network has dubbed “the most controversial story this year,” features photos of Grace as a child before and after her transition at 13 years old.
“Children are being told they should change from boy to girl or girl to boy from as young as 12 years old,” journalist Liam Bartlett says to the camera before the ominous voiceover adds: “Thousands of kids are doing it, and regretting it.”
But the thing is, Grace doesn’t regret her transition. Not in the slightest.
“I transitioned at 13 and I do not regret it at all,” she stated in her own TikTok, before questioning why the network used her photos.
“Is it because my dad was on Home and Away on Channel Seven back in the day? Is it because I’m a public figure? Is it because I’ve publicly defended child transitioning? I mean, why would you choose my face, my photos? It makes no sense.
“Gender-affirming healthcare in Australia needs more funding, it doesn’t need this negativity. And even though my face is in this, I don’t agree with it, I don’t stand for this story, I don’t stand for the sensationalisation of this whole thing.
“Don’t get it twisted Channel Seven,” she concluded.
You can watch Grace’s video below.
In the caption of the video, Grace continued to clap back at the network.
“Transitioning as a child is not how Channel Seven is making it out to be. My care by the Royal Children’s Hospital was held with the utmost diligence and I am forever [grateful]. Stop using my medical history as a way to push your political agenda,” she wrote.
Following her TikTok, a Channel Seven spokesperson has issued an apology and the network has deleted the promo. But the apology didn’t really appear to apologise to Grace herself – but rather for the confusion caused.
“The image of a transgender woman was shown during a voiceover discussing children expressing regret over transitioning,” the spokesperson said, per SBS News.
“We acknowledge the photo might inadvertently imply that the individual in question regretted their transition. As soon as we were made aware the image was removed and the promo replaced. We sincerely apologise for any confusion this may have caused.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from being far too invested in celebrity scandals and online tea, it’s that the apology above doesn’t feel like a real apology.
The CEO of transgender youth organisation Transcend Australia, Jeremy Wiggins, described the program as “dangerous”.
“It’s exposing trans people to danger that we don’t deserve, and we deserve to thrive and flourish,” Wiggins told SBS News.
“It jeopardises the public safety of trans people of all ages and it jeopardises the wellbeing of family units, including parents.
“It spreads disinformation so that people who don’t know any better are misled by the lies. And it drives fear and stigma and shame about being trans which is going to create poor health outcomes and a more unsafe environment for trans people.”
Wiggins also claimed that there is no evidence to support Channel Seven’s claim that thousands of children regret transitioning.
“The evidence that’s available suggests that less than 1 per cent of people may later change their mind or continue on their journey of gender affirmation.
“When compared to other medical procedures where there can be elements of medical regret, such as knee surgery, which is at around about 20 per cent, people who may choose to detransition is far lower, at less than 1 per cent,” he suggested.
But what makes the inclusion of Grace’s image in the segment so fkn puzzling is the fact that she’s publicly spoken about her transition on Aussie television before, giving praise to the gender-affirming care she received at such a young age.
In 2021, Grace and her actor father Mat Stevenson were interviewed by Lisa Wilkinson on The Project. During the interview, Grace emphasised why early support was so important to help prevent trans-adolescent suicide. And she’s absolutely right.
According to data compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2021, LGBTQ+ communities experience higher levels of mental health issues, suicidality, and self-harm, compared with the general population. Then, within that research, trans and gender-diverse people appear to experience a greater risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours with 43 to 48 per cent of participants reporting to have attempted to take their own lives at some point.
They’re pretty harrowing statistics.
Clearly, more needs to be done to help support trans youth. And while everyone should be able to share their personal experience with their gender journey, I think we can all agree it’s probably best to ask for permission before putting their face on a national television show.
If you’d like to talk about the issues raised in this story, you can call the QLife LGBTI peer support hotline on 1800 184 527 or chat online.
QLife operates between 3pm and midnight daily.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
