UK children’s TV channel CBBC will today broadcast a feature about a transgender boy for the first time
UK children’s TV channel CBBC will today broadcast a feature about a transgender boy for the first time, reports Pink News.
‘I Am Leo,’ aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds, will air this afternoon as part of the CBBC’s anti-bullying week.
The short film follows 13-year-old Leo, born Lily, who has lived as a boy since the age of 5 and legally changed his name when he was 11.
The BBC’s Kez Margrie told the state broadcaster’s in-house magazine:
“I had wanted to do a story on a transgender child for a while, because I know there are kids out there having a tough time. But up to now, we hadn’t found the right story to tell.
“It feels very much like [Leo’s] journey and story, as told by him. It’s not about the science or the medicine, it is fundamentally about identity and passion – about a boy taking a stand, saying ‘This is who I am’. He has an identity that others find tricky to accept. That’s a pretty universal story.”
Cat Lewis of production company Nine Lives added:
“The great thing about making documentaries like this for children is that they’re not born with prejudices. There is a risk that the BBC will be criticised for commissioning this film, but it’s important that CBBC has been so supportive of it.”
Watch Leo’s inspiring “Tips For Coping With Bullying,” AFTER THE JUMP…
