Lorraine Kelly: ‘Trans women are women and trans men are men’
The TV presenter challenged a gender-critical professor in November about whether she had really been 'cancelled'.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: ITV
Lorraine Kelly has proven once again that she is a staunch LGBTQ and trans ally after speaking about her interview with a former university professor who claimed she had been ‘cancelled’ over her views on gender.
Dr. Kathleen Stock, who was formerly employed by the Univesity of Sussex, resigned from her post after a backlash over her views. In November she appeared on Lorraine’s talk show.
In the interview, Lorraine pointed out to Stock that she hadn’t actually been cancelled as she’d appeared on the BBC’s Women’s Hour as well as her book being reprinted, so actually had a greater platform than before. Stock said she was going to use it.
“I think that trans women are women and trans men are men”
Discussing the interview on The Vanity Project with cabaret artist and songstress Vanity Von Glow, Lorraine says it’s “important to have the debate” about trans rights, but that she “strongly” disagrees with Stock.
“I think that trans women are women and trans men are men. And that’s what I think. And she doesn’t,” Kelly goes on to say. She made a similar statement following the November interview with Stock on Twitter saying, “I believe transwomen are women and transmen are men. Dr. Stock doesn’t and we disagree on that.”
I believe transwomen are women and transmen are men. Dr Stock doesn’t and we disagree on that. https://t.co/sJBtrL67jr
— Lorraine (@reallorraine) November 8, 2021
She continues to Vanity: “I thought it was very important as well to say, look, you’re not really cancelled, you’re sitting here on live telly, you’ve been on Woman’s Hour, you’re writing books, you’re doing lectures. You know there is this misconception that people get cancelled and that’s it. You’ll never hear from them again, you actually hear they actually make more noise sometimes.”
Lorraine also says it is important to let people have their say but that people are “absolutely, totally fine to completely disagree” to disagree with the opinions of others.
Elsewhere in the podcast, Lorraine reflects on her partying days in Glasgow’s gay bars including, Bennetts and says that what she loved was that “nobody was judged” and that “it felt very safe” and she’s already felt “incredibly safe” around her LGBTQ friends.
Attitude also gets a name check in the podcast when Lorraine mentions her iconic cover shoot where she was dragged up as ‘Morning Gloria’, saying she had “the best time ever” and remembers the occasion as her proudest moment.
“It was amazing, it really was,” she says.
We remember it fondly, especially the LGBTQ slang challenge. See below…
The Attitude February issue is out now. Get your copy here.
