‘Doctor Who’ gay kiss cut from broadcasts in Asia
By Sam Rigby
Doctor Who
‘s recent lesbian kiss has been censored in Asia.
The scene – which saw same-sex couple Madame Vastra and Jenny briefly kiss – has been taken out of the episode for broadcast in countries like China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
In the episode, the married couple kissed to avoid detection from killer droids who sensed life forms from their breath.
Betty Grisoni, from lesbian rights group Les Peches, criticised the censoring of the kiss, saying that same-sex couples “need to be portrayed as equally as heterosexual couples would, public display of affection included”.
She told the South China Morning Post: “The story line of the show has included this lesbian couple for over three years now without any censorship and the only time that they show a physical sign of affection, which is already outrageous in itself, it is censored. This is not about tolerance, it is about equality.”
British media watchdog Ofcom received six complaints from viewers who objected to the lesbian kiss, but has decided not to launch an investigation – read more here.