[Cherie]

Author John Boyne has apologised to gender-critical comedian Graham Linehan after criticising his stance on trans issues.

Boyne says "You were right, I was wrong", despite penning a book about a trans teenager in 2019. Although best known for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Boyne also released My Brother's Name is Jessica.

In a newspaper column, Boyne criticised Linehan - the man behind the IT Crowd - for his views, saying: "At best, he seems like one of his own creations, roaring 'down with this sort of thing' to anyone who'll listen, while at worst he comes across as someone masking intolerance by promoting himself as a champion of women."

But now he says he has reflected on the issue, making a public apology on social media. Boyne wrote: "Graham Linehan - who is without question one of our best screenwriters - has sacrificed enormous amounts in his support of women, children, gay men, and lesbians. He's experienced trauma in his personal life, been vilified for his views online, in newspapers, and on television. He is currently unable to work in the industry he loves."

According to The Telegraph, he said there was no legal reason behind the post. He continued: "In fact, Graham will be as surprised by its appearance as anyone - but I've given a lot of thought to this and realised that all I did in that piece five years ago was add to the pile-on of a decent man in a vulnerable place, when I could have used my platform to defend and support him.

"Graham, without equivocation, without excuses, and without evasion: you were right, I was wrong, and I apologise."

Linehan, who has been vocally opposed to trans rights, thanked him for the apology, saying it was "very decent". The writer of Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd no longer works in television, instead devoting his time on social media to speaking out against trans activists.

Recently, Linehan appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but peformed his set outside the Scottish parliament after two venues refused to host him. He said: "I think trans rights activists are the most evil people in the world."

Linehan says the backlash from activists has led to the breakup of his marriage. Speaking to The Telegraph he added: "Comedy is my first love, it's the thing I love to do, but I have not been allowed to do that for five years."

Boyne said his change of heart had been prompted by the row over comments made by Roisin Murphy, the pop singer. Murphy said "mixed-up kids" needed to be protected and not prescribed puberty blockers.

The comment then prompted a massive backlash on social media. In a statement, she said: "I cannot apologise enough for being the reason for this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social media fire and brimstone. To witness the ramifications of my actions and the divisions it has caused is heartbreaking."

Daily Express

[Niamh.]

Good for him, it takes a lot of courage to admit that you were wrong about this, the backlash is vicious.

[Cherie]

Tide is turning I think, people are actually thinking for themselves rather than bandwagon jumping

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Tide is turning I think, people are actually thinking for themselves rather than bandwagon jumping

I hope so. I wish people would remember that they don't have to follow their "group" all the time and they can actually think for themselves sometimes, this issue has a lot of left voices but we're constantly being fed the lie that only right wingers/religious "nuts" are "against" the trans lobby. Graham has always been left wing, as has JK Rowling, Kathleen Stock and Julie Bindel to name a few of the more outspoken voices on the issue. What I'm trying to say is this topic shouldn't be a left/right issue and really it isn't.

[Soldier Boy]

I'm telling you... the younger GenZ's have flipped and have no time for any of it; they accidentally stumbled upon the best response. They're fully accepting of people's gender "stuff" and whatever they say they are, they say "cool whatevz they/them" and give it no further attention.

... ... ... And so most of them have simply stopped doing it, because it's not actually about the "identity" for 99%, it was always about the special status, the celebration and the attention. Inevitably once the applause died down, the shine wore off over night. REALLY fascinating piece of sociology to watch unfold in real-time, there'll be whole textbook chapters about it in a few decades' time I reckon.

However it's also going to be very interesting to see what happens with the politicians & company executives who, for some mad reason, decided that this particular social contagion was going to last forever, and went all-in on it prematurely.

Identity politics has always been a thing for young people, and it's ever-changing. It was never going to stay stuck on gender identity forever. So now all that's going to be left is the people who ARE actually genuine who always existed but are a tiny minority... and a whole truckload of fetishists who no longer have the fickle mainstream zeitgeist to camouflage themselves in. Really a woeful situation.

[Niamh.]

My two are gen Z as well but at the other end to the younger genZers. My son is just starting University this month, my daughter is finished her degree but is actually staying on to do a PhD, it will be interesting to see the difference (if any) in the way the University they're in changes in the next 4 years from when my daughter started 4 years ago, they really are ground zero when it comes to identity politics I think. They're all in on the stuff right now according to my daughter although as she studies Chemistry it's not as prevalent in her circles

[The Slim Reaper]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

I'm telling you... the younger GenZ's have flipped and have no time for any of it; they accidentally stumbled upon the best response. They're fully accepting of people's gender "stuff" and whatever they say they are, they say "cool whatevz they/them" and give it no further attention.

... ... ... And so most of them have simply stopped doing it, because it's not actually about the "identity" for 99%, it was always about the special status, the celebration and the attention. Inevitably once the applause died down, the shine wore off over night. REALLY fascinating piece of sociology to watch unfold in real-time, there'll be whole textbook chapters about it in a few decades' time I reckon.

However it's also going to be very interesting to see what happens with the politicians & company executives who, for some mad reason, decided that this particular social contagion was going to last forever, and went all-in on it prematurely.

Identity politics has always been a thing for young people, and it's ever-changing. It was never going to stay stuck on gender identity forever. So now all that's going to be left is the people who ARE actually genuine who always existed but are a tiny minority... and a whole truckload of fetishists who no longer have the fickle mainstream zeitgeist to camouflage themselves in. Really a woeful situation.

I think most trans people have always wanted the "cool, whatevz" treatment. They didn't make themselves into political footballs, there was a very concentrated and concerted effort to do that about them.

You know damn well that 99% aren't doing it for attention. If you don't know, then provide the data. I'm amazed that you don't get that it's a tiny minority of people anyway, it's not the ever encroaching trans menace it's been made out to be.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by The Slim Reaper

I think most trans people have always wanted the "cool, whatevz" treatment. They didn't make themselves into political footballs, there was a very concentrated and concerted effort to do that about them.

You know damn well that 99% aren't doing it for attention. If you don't know, then provide the data. I'm amazed that you don't get that it's a tiny minority of people anyway, it's not the ever encroaching trans menace it's been made out to be.

Not to speak for SB here but I think he's actually saying the same thing as you are.

ETA : For your first paragraph anyway

[Cherie]

Graham, without equivocation, without excuses, and without evasion: you were right, I was wrong, and I apologise."

Linehan accepted the apology, writing: "Don't know what to say. Apology accepted, obviously. I said some things in anger to John that must have made this doubly hard to write, so my particular thanks to him for looking past that. Very decent of you, John, thank you."

It comes after fellow Irish star Murphy, a Mercury-nominated solo musician after fronting dance act Moloko, faced criticism for a post she shared on Facebook, in which she reportedly said that puberty blockers "are ********d… big pharma laughing all the way to the bank" and that "little mixed-up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected".

She later issued an apology on X, saying: "I am so sorry my comments have been directly hurtful to many of you. You must have felt a huge shock, blindsided by this so abruptly. I understand fixed views are not helpful but I really hope people can understand my concern was out of love for all of us."



Sky News

[LeatherTrumpet]