The Wright Stuff - Annie Wallace

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks School Head Sally St Claire in the shape of Annie Wallace appears on the daytime show, and takes calls on why the numbers of transgender kids are increasing - her response - "Awareness". I have to agree. I think there have always been these numbers, but people could do very little about it until now.

My only minor issue would be the firsts... Nadia Almada (transgender winner of Big Brother) was in Hollyoaks in 2004 and scripted/acting. So Nadia was there a long time ago. Also during the Marc/Marcia story line in Coronation St (played by Andrew Hall) There were a number of roles given to transgender people. So I think the whole 'firsts' trans* in soaps thing does all those an that went before an injustice. She says she advised Corrie at the time of Julie Hesmondhalgh - you can read my interview with Julie here from the late 90s when she started http://library.transgenderzone.com/?page_id=2487 It was Brian Park that made her role possible - to answer one of Matthew's questions. But Marc/Marcia was some time later.

I think Annie came across as a very warm and likable person. And also she is in an important age group (50). This is a seriously under represented group on television for transgender people and for that I applaud Hollyoaks and Annie - all power to her and let's hope she remains as a long-standing character. The only problem (same with Eastenders) is the trans* narrative is often suggested as the sole reason for the opportunity. And this has always got to be played out. 1. Transgender person is actor. 2. Transgender person is somehow outed. 3. Transgender person has to recover and prove their value as their acquired gender. This is a very hackneyed approach and it is time to move past that. As that is a finite method. In other words, once they are expended (their trans-currency is gone) they are literally expendable as characters. And for the next job, they, what have to do that all again? Or get some unknown to go through i all again?

So apart from that script blip in soaps atm. Maybe Annie can stay long enough to get some non-trans story lines - just normal life stuff?

I watch with interest.

And great Matthew, she was a great guest.

Watch here now
https://www.my5.tv/the-wright-stuff/sea ... y-15-march

[EmmaPeelsKitten]

There were a number of roles given to transgender people. So I think the whole 'firsts' trans* in soaps thing does all those an that went before an injustice.

Yes, getting the 'firsts' right IS important.

Nadia Almada had a cameo appearance as herself in one episode.
The trans actors in Corrie were also in one episode.

Annie is the first transgender person to play a REGULAR transgender character in a UK soap. That much is fact.

But I agree, she came across remarkably well.

With regard to longevity... I hope she's in it for a long time - now that Sally's revealed as John Paul's dad, shes' nowpart of the biggest family in the show, so hopefully this will add to her staying power.

[Ice Maiden]

I disagree, firsts are irrelevant as we will eventually get down to blood groups.

The first person with... and with O positive - does it matter?

Nadia was in an episode in 2004 she had a script and had to act. For that matter so did Paris 11 years later.

The Corrie Episode had transgender people acting. Funny thing is they are never mentioned by the individuals selling their firsts.

"I am the first regular soap actress, but other transgender people have been cast in Soaps long before my appearance...."

They tend not to say that though as it well spoils it a bit... Their currency is diluted. No one wants the second or third on the show - do they?

Regular? What is that? They were in a few ... In more episodes? Not first but Regular? But then we have 'UK Serial Drama' I mean Bethany Black was in 'Banana', Annie was in Shameless long before any of these. I am sure I can crawl our archives and find other examples - not much point. Candis Cayne was in 'Dirty Sexy Money'. years ago.

I hate FIRSTS as it obliterates anyone else instantly. Cisgender folk and ignorant transgender people are not going to research any of this. They just accept it as Gospel. I think this Firsts nonsense needs to stop.

Annie plays a good character in Hollyoaks thats it. Normality - that is what is important. I just get annoyed about continually flogging the trans* narrative. Why does every trans* person have to experience transphobia and have to do some 'coming out story' (?), why can't they be a chief inspector at Scotland Yard in say 'LUTHER' and their tale was told a long time ago (not part of the show) when they came out say 5 years earlier. And although people 'know' nobody cares nor mentions it they act and get on with the plot line?

Every black person in a soap is not racially abused, or play slaves by default. Nor do they rabbit on about firsts. Other than maybe if Idris got James Bond they may mention it then.

Also moving forwards, if the first has been done who remembers the 2nd? I worry that once the trans* currency is exhausted they always find them an exit as - well, what other value are they? That's what happens. PS trans* play a disproportionate amount of sex workers too in dramas and film - just saying.

[Ice Maiden]

#Replies

[Jaycee dove]

I agree that counting firsts in themselves are much less important than perception of an accumulation of appearances that gradually cause a shift in society as the public become used to not even treating it as a big deal.

What singles out the Annie Wallace role is because it may have lasting impact in the way that might have been true had Coronation Street cast a trans woman to play Hayley. Though Julie Hesmondhalgh proved a great advocate even so.

Annie, though, is a continuing actress in a role and her trans ness made an impact but now she is judged on merit as an actress. Exactly how it should be. That alone is a great advance for us all. Though the previous appearances referenced were bricks in the wall too.

There have been many steps on the road to trans acceptance on TV and some of them will have happened completely unknown to the public and a few of them likely not even been realised by us in the trans community.

As they said on Loose Women last week when they had the first trans panellist, she was only the first trans presenter as far as they knew. We in the public will have watched trans people on TV plenty of times before without knowing that they were trans because it was not relevant to that appearance on that programme.

Long before This Morning started winning awards for its trans awareness (and rightly so) I was on there three or four times during the 80s and 90s and not once because I was trans or presented as being trans.

I am sure that quite possibly I was not even the first trans person on This Morning - but I have also written and presented a few things on radio and TV over the years and none of these were about trans issues. So, as a result, none of them involved me being introduced on screen as a trans woman.

The first of these was on the BBC in 1975 - a year after I had transitioned, but a few months prior to my GRS. I was living in stealth then as was not unusual for that era and it was a huge personal step in my confidence to appear on the beeb and be accepted as a woman in doing so.

There are many different ways in which being trans will become a part of normal life. They will not all have involved major publicity.