Neighbours’ newest cast member, Georgie Stone opened up in an emotional interview on The Project tonight, shedding light on issues she faced as a transgender female during early childhood and adolescence.
The interview comes after the recent ‘Gender Issues’ disaster on The Australian, and insensitive comments from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who reckons we should just “let kids be kids” and not allow them to undergo hormone replacement therapy and other gender dysphoria treatments.
When Georgie Stone was a toddler, she knew her body just didn’t feel right. For years, she’s battled the bullies and bureaucracy to be herself. Now she’s making a name for herself as an actor, and breaking down the barriers for others. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/twBtAx1bAp
— The Project (@theprojecttv) August 23, 2019
In the brave interview, the 19-year-old and her mum Rebekah Robertson opened up about the realities of the years-long struggle faced by trans kids and their families. The duo have been vocal advocates for addressing gender dysphoria at a young age, with Georgie claiming that she probably would’ve contemplated suicide if she had to develop as a male during puberty.
“If my body had developed in a masculine way, I would have wanted to kill myself,” she said in the powerful interview.
Stone’s mother, Rebekah has penned a part-memoir, part-inspirational book on her experiences raising a transgender child and her struggles in the notoriously difficult healthcare system in Australia. Spearheaded by her mum, Georgie’s story ended up being a landmark case in the fight against the Family Court’s input into the decisions of trans children and their families. About A Girl is released on September 3.
Tonight’s segment shed light on exactly how difficult emotionally, physically and legally the transgender journey is. If you’ve ever witnessed someone you love go through the process, you’ll know how traumatic it can be. But unfortunately there is so much misinformation and pure garbage shared online about the trans community, so those of us who haven’t experienced it first hand are often completely unaware of the severity of it.
Despite a few negative comments, the internet seemed to rally around the young actress, sharing messages of support and love after the interview aired.
What a great story reported beautifully by @GorgiCoghlan. I can’t imagine what it’s like for a kid to be confused about their gender; must be so difficult. How wonderful to see a transgender character on Aus TV. Visible diversity can have such a positive impact #TheProjectTV
— Samantha L Valentine (@samlval) August 23, 2019
Thank you @theprojecttv for Georgie Stone’s story. I don’t understand people’s fear or judgement. Georgie’s ‘trans-formation’ has no impact on any of us except Georgie. Good luck to her and her amazing family. Understanding and kindness costs us nothing.
— Jules Hope (@tweetinjools) August 23, 2019
Georgie Stone is an absolute inspiration and is breaking down stereotypes and barriers every day. And don’t even get me started on her mum. It’s unfortunately common to see parents struggle or even disown their children due to their lack of understanding of gender dysphoria but Rebekah truly showed what it means to be a parent. Whether it was battling with doctors, the legal system or even just her own confusion and lack of knowledge, Rebekah Robertson let nothing stand in the way of her daughter’s happiness and identity.
We need more stories like this. Trans people rarely make the news unless they’re dead or famous, and it’s appalling to say the least. We need to take every opportunity possible to normalise it. Georgie and her mum are regular people, not unlike yourself or your neighbours. The more we share these stories, the closer we come to being a more accepting, tolerant society.
You don’t have to agree with the concept of transitioning, but you do need to be tolerant enough not to spew hatred and negativity towards people who are just trying to live their fucking lives.
The trans community has only really come to light in mainstream media the last decade. It’s okay to not fully understand it. We weren’t educated about this stuff in school like our children will be, so it’s our responsibility to try our hardest to learn about it now.
We spend so much time hating on the trans community, or hating on those who don’t quite understand it. So, let’s cut the hate and pay attention to the people like Georgie who are using their story to educate and spread awareness to others.
If you find yourself struggling to comprehend why Georgie felt the need to transition, I strongly urge you to read her mum’s book, or do some unbiased research of your own. Education is the key to a more tolerant society. The world is already filled with so much negativity. We don’t need to add more.
