Last night’s RTÉ Prime Time focused on Transgender issues in Ireland.
The show explored “the implication of the explosion in the numbers of young people saying they want to change gender.”
Even before the programme aired, it caused heated debates online as the show’s presenter Graham Linehan is known for his transphobic views and has aired them many times in public. A petition was made to cancel the show.
Of course, RTÉ decided to air the programme anyway, but people decided to boycott RTÉ and instead, got #TurnOffPrimeTime trending on Twitter.
The hashtag even beat out the show’s own hashtag. Here are ten tweets that sum up exactly why people didn’t watch the show:
Our history is scarred by bigotry and intolerance. Misogyny, homophobia and now transphobia are activated by ill-informed polarising propaganda. Don’t try to hide exploitation under the guise of investigation #TurnOffPrimeTime
— Mary Buckley (@marybuckley549) January 22, 2019
Most of what I know about the trans experience comes from working in suicide prevention.
44% of trans people have self-harmed.
78% have thought about suicide.
40% have attempted to take their own lives.
Tonight’s “debate” has made @rte complicit.
— 2019 version (@magicgoeshere) January 22, 2019
So shit to be importing another country’s issues to stoke-up outrage amongst the older generation just for clickbait. The Gender Recognition Act has been a statute since 2015. And, look! The country hasn’t imploded. #TurnOffPrimeTime
— Muireann O’Connell (@MuireannO_C) January 22, 2019
“Ireland has one of the most progressive laws in relation to self-identification for transgender people. It’s something to be proud of in this often frustrating and fucked up little country of ours”
Tonight we #turnoffprimetime https://t.co/esDplJsM5l pic.twitter.com/BP3eGjAjud— Abortion Rights IE (@freesafelegal) January 22, 2019
Ok so the show is over
Looks like the cute lil Snowflakes made a lot of noise because #TurnOffPrimeTime dominated over the show’s own Hashtag, with #solidariT and #TransRightsAreHumanRights following within the top five trending topics in Ireland pic.twitter.com/w9W8Q4DEfs
— Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) January 22, 2019
Graham Lineman’s outdated, obsolete and disturbing views on LGBTQ & trans issues leads me to question whether he actually wrote Father Ted as a serious drama, & the actors turned it into a comedy for the craic. #SolidariT #TurnOffPrimeTime
— David Gibney (@davegibney) January 22, 2019
No matter what is said tonight, trans people exist. Trans kids exist and they are not taking ‘untested drugs’. We need better trans healthcare based and better sex education so students learn about these issues instead of hearing bigotry on tv #SolidariT #TurnOffPrimeTime
— Trans Pride Dublin (@DubTrans) January 22, 2019
You should be totally ashamed of yourselves. A proven Transphobe TWICE warned by UK police given free reign on Irish tv in a pre recorded interview. Shame on you . SHAME. We have no room for this bigotry in our society. #TurnOffPrimeTime
— Jennifer Edwards (@Jenniesapetal) January 22, 2019
#TurnOffPrimeTime is an Anti democratic , intolerant campaign to deny free expression of different views.
— Michael O’Dowd (@ModowdMichael) January 22, 2019
Trans kids across Ireland will be feeling scared & alone tonight & wondering if they are loved, if they matter, if they can take up space in the world. When we embolden bigots we push these kids to a dark place.
You are loved, you are important, you matter ?#TurnOffPrimeTime
— ??????? (@Donnan_S) January 22, 2019
