Blessing Chambers Hollyoaks Transgender Storyline Blog.

[Ice Maiden]

Holyoaks
23/10
e4/Channel 4

KHAN! KHAN! (you will get the joke later).

So it is the day after the night before. All is well in the land of Hollyoaks, the birds are singing, and even Trevor's guilt at exploding Dennis' missus has been resolved by offering Dennis a job a his accountant... Well it is common knowledge you give people who have vendettas against you access to your company account - what could possibly go wrong?


Here's Johnny

Meanwhile it transpires that Dennis' dad is in actual fact a consultant at the same hospital where Blessing is attending her gender clinic. The famous Gender Clinic in Chester we have all heard about

Of course the problem here is he will see her and get involved somehow?

She describes it to Dennis as her "Gender Confirmation Surgery" referral is hopefully today.

Blessing attends her appointment all excited that today will be her referral day, you know after she got the blood poisoning the last time for cutting her arms in toilets with broken toilet floor bottles.

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She comes out of the appointment with tears in her eyes - it has not gone well. No dice.

She sits down in the corridor after narrowly averting two other locals in the village, and a male nurse spots she is distressed.

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Would you like a glass of water? Blessing tells him to leave her alone and storms out.

Later, she is in a coffee bar next to the hospital and who should walk in but that same nurse. Hello he said, you dropped this.

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It is a pamphlet with "GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY" on the front... Font 'Helvetica 95 Black' type size hmmm about 300? LOL. Like that's a popular leaflet, nothing more discreet than that! EH? Eh?

Although a bit embarrassing the leaflet at least makes sense.

Now instant impressions of this guy can only be three things

1. He is a genuine do-gooder! He knows a great surgeon and it will all be fine!
2. He is the worst sex-change surgeon from hell see CSI etc (in my comment below).
3. He is looking for vulnerable trans*women to use as sex workers and grooming her away to some dodgy place. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3056
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathoey viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4135

Lets flip the coin now... I go with Worst Motel Room Surgeon from Hell! And he is a failed medical student, that storyline has been done see below (my comments).

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She explains that she has been refused again, and the nurse says he 'knows' a doctor who can do this for her. He writes down the telephone number on a scrap of paper, like some back ally crack dealer, "call me if you change your mind."

Later she returns to the 'village' and sees Dennis who is behaving rather furtively as he is trying to find something to stitch-up Trevor. He gives her a quick hug and says, we can't afford for you to go privately, but Dad has invited us for a drink here later.

That makes sense as they are supposed to be skint!

Later, they are at the dining table, and Blessing explains to her potential father-in-law that she is awaiting surgery. He is clearly upset by this news and takes Dennis to the bar. He says, the following:

Father to Dennis - "You cannot be serious about this?"

Dennis - "I'm deadly serious!"

Father - "But Dennis think of the sacrifices you'll have to make, the abuse you are going to suffer!

(Blessing across the bar overhears and picks up her bag to leave).

Father - "Life is hardly going to be a bed of roses!"

Dennis - "I don't think you are in any position to judge me!"

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Father - "People will judge! This relationship is DOOMED! You are a hot-blooded heterosexual! And she...is a man! You want my advice? Run for the hills!"

[All a bit melodramatic...."For the Hills!" "KHAN!" "KHAN!" Star Trek overacting gag that one!, Eds]

(CUT TO BLESSING CRYING IN TOILET LOOKING LONGINGLY AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER).

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So there you go! the answer to the NHS problems is 0770090099 and ask for Tim!

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Seriously though, I have struggled to buy into this character from day one simply because no matter how much she weeps she is not a trans*woman she is a cisgender girl. In the same way that if she as a woman of colour was being played by a great white actress blacked-up! And that actress said, "Oh it is OK to do this because I have spoken to some black people about what it feels like to suffer racism." No one would buy into that today other than see it as comical and embarrassing. I see this as a bit of a laugh tbh.

However, if you read the comments below, there is a more serious side to all this and the show maybe taking liberties that could have wide reaching consequences! So many shows have people advising them, but do they listen and if so was that advice any good?

You decide.



COMMENTS (IMPORTANT!)

She sure does cry a lot - flipping eck! News Flash! Onion shortage in Chester!

Comment - DODGEY SURGEONS - Now, this is a bit of a worry, as it feels like they are going down the 'Worst Sex Change Surgeon in the World' Documentary, http://www.docmasters.tv/threads/channe ... 2007.2718/ coupled with an episode of CSI where a unlicensed person was operating on transgender people in the USA. See my review from back then viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3392



However, in the show shown above they did at least hire a load of transgender people for the episode!

Couple this with the recent Hotel Butt injections of mattress-grade silicon that kills many women annually. See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... lence.html It is enough for the unimaginative writers to put fear into young trans*people to make sure they go to the NHS. I hope this is not what will happen and maybe Dennis' dad will save her at the last minute in some bedsit somewhere with this wannabee nurse washing their hands? But This storyline worries me a little now. Why cannot she just wait and until then get on with her life. She has become a 'TRANSSEXUAL' who is perchance a human. She is not a person who happens to be 'transsexual'... - Oh btw the 'happens to be' is something I tend to say, if you read it else where you know where they got it from It is a shame they are so blinkered with having a trans character that they cannot find anything to do with her other than this cliche'. This lazy trawling of news stories for ideas which are often US based is unhelpful. Whatever happened to being trans is a celebration for a change?

Comment - GRS OR GCS? - Gender Confirmation Surgery is actually another one of those words that has been thrown into the pot. And must have been advised by 'AllAboutTrans' I guess? However, simply standing back and rereading that descriptor they have not thought this through. It to me is incorrect, Most trans I know have known since birth (or their earliest recollection) they were male or female irregardless of their body's outward appearance. Surgery does not 'confirm' their gender, they already know they are male or female, and many opt not to have surgery, so are they 'unconfirmed?' I have battled with this argument for the best part of 20 years with activists and the best title, without damaging the existing preferred label and still used by academically, and by the NHS, is GRS. Gender Reassignment Surgery (is no better than GCS but it is already well-established) for now at least is still used world wide, most people know what that means in medicine it is still used to refer people. However, I suggest a slight tweak a long time ago and first came up with the term "Genital reassignment" (or 'remodeling' but that sounds infantile) Surgery.

As the only thing that is being altered in this instance are the genitals, and FFS for Facial Feminisation Surgery etc. It takes the focus away from the person, and their brain, and psychology, and identity, and just says, "oh yeah they are having GRS." This does not 'Other' the trans*people who choose not to have surgery - and many do choose not to have it - not least because of the cost. More often it is ill health that cruelly stops them having such invasive surgery! Anyways that's my two-penneth. And most importantly of all it retains the letters "GRS" for the academics? The biggest problem using terms like Gender Confirmation offered here by their advisors is this is a teen soap and trans kids (and families) will adopt the label and later realise they have made a bed of nails to lie on, as it suggests they must have surgery to confirm themselves (Transsexual Elitist argument). My advice is stick with the professional terms in this instance, if the goal of Channel 4 is to educate, even if it is not quite what some trans* like to hear - I complained over 10 years ago to the then HBIGDA (now WPATH) about the term "Disorder" being used in the DSM and by WPATH, "Gender Identity Disorder." it took 8 years after that for them to decide to change it to Incongruence? The reason disorder was incorrect in my mind was it suggested those who did not have this dysphoria were 'ordered' and that is 'othering' and dangerous - What I am trying to say is it takes a long time to change labels even if you think you are right, So try and avoid making them up at least keep that a a person self-description. As the existing terms are the terms you will have to speak to your GP with! Unless it is formally agreed to change them world-wide and 'most people' know what GRS is just use the letter rather than the full words, it is a bit cavalier for Hollyoaks to not really look into this and go with whoever advised them. For further advice please visit http://www.wpath.org/

Comment - DELAYS - This is actually the most realistic part of all this the constant delays and waiting about IS soul destroying!

Especially today when gender services are simply over-subscribed and underfunded. However they are rarely for the reasons Blessing's are.

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
26/10
e4

OK this was a bit of a twist, it is nothing new, but it was both sad and daft at the same time.

Here is the scenario before I comment.


Blessing is increasingly frustrated as she feels in competition with Dennis' dead wife!

She finally decides to call the number of this 'Doctor' and goes around to visit him...

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Blessing explains to him that she is desperate and thanks him...

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He explains he has just had a cancellation and can do the surgery this afternoon!

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The 'Doctor' puts the cash (Prolly £6 grand or summit) in his inside pocket - tap tap nice 'n' safe!

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[Luvverly Jubberly, Eds]

Later Dennis finds out and follows her to 'the clinic'.

Blessing turns up with Dennis for her op...

The Offices are deserted and a card is sitting on the table saying...

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Thank you!
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Comment

OK, OK! I try to second guess soap storylines, and maybe I went a bit overboard in the last summary, well lets face it, the Hollyoaks budget, and the fact this is on at what 7pm kinda ruled out my previous ideas in hindsight really. So this episode was actually a surprise. And quite a cheap way to surprise - as an empty office don't get much cleaper

Of course the whole con and empty offices has often been done in dramas and almost staple, I remember it mostly happening with people promising to 'make people a star', just hand over the cash for your photos and I will get you onto the front cover of Vogue! Then that's the last they see of them!

This was done not only with Raymond's Brother Robert in the series 'Everyone Loves Raymond' (and he was a cop!) but also in 'The Cleveland Show' cartoon series on e4 where all the men cross-dressed to find this fraudster promising ugly women he would make them a model... It was daft but a similar thing.

This has been done many many times in con films... However, in this instance it just seemed a tad ludicrous and implausible.

It would be very unusual for someone desperate for surgery and most trans*women (and men) tend to be, to go to what is in effect some office-block in town and have their surgery done 'this afternoon'! Blessing has a the internet, she would likely have read up about this. She was prepped for surgery before (although that was a tad stupid as well) but got blood poisoning remember so would know the 'routine', the writers really need to do their homework regarding prepping for surgery on the NHS. They treat it like having a tooth pulled! Or day surgery!

To turn up with a bag for what seems to be the equivalent of a dental appointment just does not make sense.

That said, at least they, as I said at the very beginning of this blog, have not fallen into the trap of it all going smoothly! This journey is often fraught with pain and angst, although it could have been better managed in this series. Again her care bears no resemblance to any gender clinic I have heard of in the UK. So this is bad education! But I guess Dennis is in the middle of trying to stitch-up Trevor. Blessing needs to try and recover 5 grand or something (what amount was in the envelope will soon be revealed I guess?). Dennis is leaving the show in what 6 weeks? So All I can assume is Blessing finally gets her surgery and they both go off into the sunset, or Blessing dies under the knife and Dennis gets Life Imprisonment/ or murdered by Trevor. Or Blessing goes onto 'the game' (sex worker) to raise the money. Or Blessing goes to London to move in with Paris... (see: viewtopic.php?f=16&p=41348).

Time will tell!

So plenty of options!

That said I really didn't see this coming, so that's a plus Well done!

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
28/10
e4

Blessing is off again!

Dennis Spots Trevor hiding Drugs in clay ornaments

Later

Dennis tells Blessing that the money is probably gone and she'd been conned. He understood why she did it as she was desperate, but nevertheless it would by now almost be impossible to recover it as it was cash. And the nurse could deny it and he was not the person she handed the cash to.

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Blessing - "I'm leaving, he is still in love with Leanne. Unless you think I should stay and try and work it out?"

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Father - "No, non, no, go with your instincts!" (wanting to get rid of her)."If you think you are better off without Dennis and him without you, why make something more painful than it needs to be?"

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Later

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Father to Dennis - "She's walked out on you son."

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Dennis - "Didn't you tell her how much I love her? No you didn't did yah!"

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Blessing is on the Bus and off again!

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Comment

Well its a case of déjà vu I'm afraid, the only difference is this time Dennis was not on the bus pleading with her.

To be honest the storyline concentrates way too much on her surgery as making her 'complete' this sort of thing drives the idea that surgery is the answer to every transperson out there with Gender Dysphoria. It ain't many change their minds, many regret having it. Some are too unwell to have it, and other although like the idea of it are having way too much fun with the bits they have had from birth (keeping it G-Rated)

Blessing has become nothing more than a surgery story... or her quest to obtain the money for her surgery. No matter what she does or thinks about it is to get cash for surgery. Beyond this she has very little going on and as a result is rather one-dimensional and at times has to overact to make up for the shortfall in the scripts - this can at times make her (and Dennis) look at bit 'hammy' or overdoing it!). Imagine for an instant a famous soap character, pick anyone you like! Let's say Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, he is one of the longest serving Soap stars out there. And every freakin' episode all he was going on about was having his appendix out! For years! You kinda see my point! Shut up Ken! Eventually you get to the point where you are glad they have gone! Thank goodness I have not got to hear about a bloody appendix again! But it could be his bad hip! Or his sore foot. It is very similar to Charity Fatigue, whereby a crisis calls for support everyone donates, but then it just drops off the radar, the problem is still as bad, but people are now bored of it, their sympathy is depleted. Especially if they have problems of their own like having to queue up at a food bank or can't pay their utility bills!

So Blessing has kinda got to that stage - it is sad to say but it is almost now a case of who cares and just stay on the bus!

Transgender characters (apart from the obvious of hiring actual half decent trans-actors to take the roles) need to be far more rounded. Like Why cannot a transgender man say own the nightclub and apart from people initially knowing they are trans all the rest of the stories are regular dodgy dealings and bad guy criminal antics? Instead the trans*man would be spending weeks focused on having a phalloplasty morning noon and night. I understand more than most the trauma here but be careful not to exhaust the viewer as they will get to the point of saying I don't care and bloody good riddance to Blessing etc. And that's not what we want.

Hayley in Coronation Street although not a trans woman herself in reality, at least did more than trans stuff. But as she was probably the 'benchmark' today, it really takes some imagination to think of something fresh. Hollyoaks has already done a trans*man after all. See here: viewforum.php?f=48 in the form of Jason Costello and that was far better than this storyline as they could play more with it as that had not really been done other than in the series 'Degrassi' High in the US.

Blessing has quickly become a stereotype, what is left for a trans stereotype to do to raise money? Become a sex-worker of course...

I hope I am wrong...

Or maybe she will find a friendly transwoman who will direct her to financial success in the bright lights of the city eh?

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
30/10/14
e4


Blessing's st(d)ash!

OK in brief here is a twist.

When Blessing left yesterday she took an object containing diamonds that Trevor is fencing.

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Dennis is threatened and tries to defend himself over the Diamonds gone missing and as Dennis has a vendetta against Trevor he was the obvious suspect given he has access to the club.

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[I thought it was powder but never mind, But Diamonds are easier to shift maybe? Eds]

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size=85]e4[/size]

Dennis was accused of stealing them at first and cowered on the floor thinking it was the end for him, but then they spoke and they discovered it was Blessing!

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Dennis to Trevor - I hate you!

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T - I know
D - I wish I could let go of that!
T - I wish you could too!
T - My dad was murdered when I was a kid. And look what it did to me as I couldn't let it go! Everything happens for a reason!
Trevor - I am here to save you Dennis!

Later

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Trevor to Dennis - You have what I don't! The possibility of a future! To start again! I was ruined before I was out of short pants your dad left you mine was murdered - this life (of crime) is all I know. To lie and cheat and hurt and destroy lives - I want to be that average guy! With a wife and kids - I can never escape who I am, but you and Blessing can stop all this before it is too late!

So I suppose they will be on the hunt for Blessing!

Wherever that is is likely to include other trans*people maybe?

[Ice Maiden]

Hollyoaks
17/11/14
e4 (Channel 4 UK)


The the pint-sized Tour de Eiffel (that is in Paris).


I will look at this in two parts - the first is the odd way this script has been altered to accomodate Paris, and the second part is why the cameo? Along with the actual storyline of course as that continues for another 20 mins after she departs.


Blessing is in Blackpool (thats the tower reference get it?)

It opens with a 40 seconds cameo of Blessing Chambers with Paris Lees, and then onto the storyline.

More on Paris in the bottom section.

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Blessing discovers the diamonds, she looks excited and says, "OH YEAH!" as they tumble out on the bar where she has worked for 5 minutes and is suddenly everyone's best friend. Funny that she can get a job in the off-season so fast in Blackpool.

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Blessing tries to sell the diamonds at a jewelers who calls the police and she is arrested, last seen trying to call 'Frankie' and only getting voice-mail. Probably time to call Dennis I guess?

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Blessing - "Frankie it is Blessing - I am in Big Trouble!"

She should have called her new best bud Paris she only lives up the road!

[hehehe sorry, couldn't resist it].


The long awaited Cameo -

It was interesting to see Paris play a cameo in Hollyoaks. After all she has been promoting this for what seems weeks.

It was just 40 seconds and definitely a cameo...

TRANSCRIPT

You won't miss which one is Paris. She has a T-shirt with Paris on it - well self-promotion brings the outside in too much here I think. I mean why not have a brass band as well?

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Channel 4

Paris - "So anyway, I said to him I am only having one or two, cut to me Monday morning doing the walk of shame [Sex already?! First sentence hmmm.].
Blessing - Oh you dirty stop-out!
Paris - Never-mind me! What's a gorgeous girl like you doin' out 'ere on 'er own!
Blessing - It's complicated.
Paris - Babe [Has she ever said Babe?], life's too short to be moping! Especially when you go a figure like yours. I know that look darlin', and there is no man that is worth the heartache. I've got to get goin'
Blessing - Do you know what, it was lovely meeting you.

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Channel 4
(Uncomfortably long hug)

Blessing - Take Care.

[ENDS]

Comment

Next stop Hollywood eh?!

It was exactly what it was, a cameo. Nothing more nothing less. It was OK, but I didn't really see the point?

There are a couple of issues.

Firstly she for some reason sounded like she was A cockney on 'Eastenders' - "Aw Wight Dalrlin'!"

Dunno where that came from? Maybe nerves? She looked a bit stiff, again it was probably nerves and remembering her lines. I guess the more she does this the better she will get.

I don't wanna be too mean cos at least she had a go. And Channel 4, I suppose feel that they have laid the demon to rest, the one that haunts the role of Blessing from the outset, that they have not had a transgender woman lead in this storyline.

However, it is a bit late in the day to start busing in trans*people, of course some maybe asking, "how come the opportunity went to Paris," why didn't Paris push forward someone who wants a career in theatre (as opposed to journalism), as this could have been good opportunity for their CV? I am sure one of the gang at AllAboutTrans.org would have relished the chance? Some may say that good leadership and activism requires those asked to sometimes offer up opportunities to others, and selflessly not take them all for themselves. After all if every opportunity to do things in the public eye is seized by those with a bit of 'profile', then those very people soon become isolated, and unrepresentative, and eventually undermined, as the very people they are seen to speak for simply go around them. Suddenly, they are out of touch. And the phone stops ringing!

Happened to Nadia and many others.

That said, it was just all a bit odd from a production pov. If the idea was to show Paris as Paris (The T-shirt emblazoned with """PARIS!""", Shamless, I mean Blessing doesn't wear a MODUPE ADEYEYE -T-shirt), and what was she doing in Blackpool rather than London? How did they meet? there was an opportunity there to have expanded a little on their time together rather than just a goodbye. Just how did Blessing meet Paris? How did Blessing hook up with a tran*woman? Blessing does not like anyone knowning she is trans let alone some Blackpool woman she has met for 5 minutes in a bar! Let's face it Blessing is in reality a cisgirl designated female at birth and if we are to imagine she is trans (long shot) she passes so well (#OBVS) then how on earth would Paris have known she was trans in a night club? Blessing is all about keeping her trans'ness under wraps in this new place, so teaming up with one of the most well known trans*people makes absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever.

Strange accent aside. We can glean the role, she is clearly not playing herself (is she? And who was the guy last night she was doing the walk of shame from? hehehe better keep that quiet?), rather she seems to be some hybrid character, a character (from Blackpool)? But that then defeats the object of having her in a cameo? Yet the credits state 'Paris Lees as herself'. And if Blessing is with her on that walk of shame did she cheat on Dennis then?

This is the daftest drop in cameo story-wise I have ever seen. It kinda failed Paris as she could have done a lot more than this here - hardly seems worth the bus fare and OB unit.

So a terrible script continuity, nonsensical in fact.

Trans in Hollyoaks History

Before people start bleating 'firsts' (which seems to be a thing these days) it ain't! And not by over 10 years! See this thread for more but here is one photo of Nadia in Hollyoaks from our archives viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4507


Channel 4/ Transgenderzone Archives 2004

Nadia Almada (Trans*woman who won BIG Brother 2004) was given a whole episode in Hollyoaks in 2004 where she opened a Christmas celebration on the show see pictured. She was "Nadia",
everyone knew her as Nadia and she WAS 'THE Nadia' who won 'Big Brother' and invited to open a Christmas village festival, there was no confusion over who she was and what she was there for...

And Nadia was pretty good - it made sense as she was in the news, and Channel 4 broadcast
the Big Brother format at that time (now moved to Channel 5/Endemol). So this is nothing new.

Hollyoaks have done and do often offer cameos to minority group 'faces', and unless you know who they are, be they disabled, or working for a rape crisis center, they can often go over people's heads - WHOOSH! And almost be seen by those not of that group as 'extras' or 'temporary water-fountain supporting cast members' you never see again. Few read the end credits to find out who was 'person #2 at the bar' or 'girl in street in parka' (in this instance) - do you?

I can only assume this was done to alleviate the guilt of not casting a trans woman in the part to begin with - if this was the case it didn't work.

Good fun for Paris - but a very poor offering. I mean 40 seconds? Big deal! For some (and it will be said) it is the equivalent of a black person of note going on the 'Black and White Minstrel' Show as a cameo to offer it some credibility. And this maybe seen by many as 'Uncle Tom' when she maybe should be perhaps protesting the issue that an cisgirl is pretending to be trans? Wouldn't work the other way around if Paris had turned up 'Blacked-up' in the presence of Blessing there would be hell to pay! So why is it OK the other way around - makes no sense to me whatsoever! Especially when 10 years ago they had Nadia in and understood this then - in the last 10 years they been in a coma or something? They have no excuses whatsoever for all this sorry!

Time will tell if it achieves anything other than a 'photo-op' for her instagram. I had hoped for a lot more than 40 seconds for Paris - and the parting hug was uncomfortably long - what was the director thinking?! (Not the actors' fault) Weird.

Maybe next time they can cast an actual transgender actress? And give her a couple of episodes as Blessing's mate?

But It is probably all too late now. The stable door was closed after the horse had bolted.

3/5 TZ Stars - Average.

Would have been below average were it not for that 40 seconds