'Things are rapidly and urgently getting worse...' Russell T Davies says Donald Trump is fuelling rise of LQBTQ+ prejudice
Russell T Davies - who is the showrunner on Doctor Who - is dismayed at the growing prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community in the UK.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies believes LGBTQ+ rights are “rapidly and urgently getting worse” in the UK due to the influence of US President Donald Trump on British politics.
The 62-year-old screenwriter - who was responsible for creating Channel 4 drama Queer As Folk about the lives of gay men in England in the late '90s - is dismayed by the rise of Nigel Farage's right wing political party Reform UK and the decision by Trump upon his return to the White House to repeal
multiple executive orders signed by outgoing President Joe Biden, including a number of measures with the goal to stop discrimination against gay and transgender people.
After taking office, Trump, 79, also released a statement clarifying the United States will only recognise two sexes, male and female, that are unchangeable.
Davies says younger members of the LGBTQ+ community should be “revolting in terror and anger and action” in response to growing support amongst the electorate for Reform UK, which has pledged to “ban transgender ideology” in schools within its first 100 days of government. The party has also pledged to replace the Equality Act and said it would scrap diversity, equality and inclusion rules.
Speaking to Big Issue magazine, he said: "When Queer As Folk came out in 1999, if you’d said, 'What will gay rights be like in 2025?’, we’d have said, 'Oh, it will all be marvellous – it’ll be sunshine and skipping down the street, hand in hand – gays, queers, lesbians, everyone.’
“And look at where we are. Things got better but now things are rapidly and urgently getting worse.
“What happens in America always happens here, and as we look down the barrel of a Reform government, we, the gay community, queer community, should be revolting in terror and anger and action.
“I hope they’re prepared to fight, that younger generation that has no idea how they got there. And neither should they; they’re busy living their lives. I didn’t spend my youth looking back at World War Two. But I do think, 'Are you prepared to fight? Because a fight is coming.’”
Referring to Trump's policies relating to the gay community, Davies believes that President Trump is “literally out to get us” and “would be happier with us invisible and gone, defunded, completely invisible if not biologically altered” to become as heterosexual as him.
Davies upcoming Channel 4 miniseries, Tip Toe, will deal with the culture war that has led to a rise in homophobia and transphobia as "prejudice creeps back into our lives”.
He said: "It’s radical, it’s savage, and it’s hilarious. It is the strongest thing I’ve written. I do believe Queer As Folk, Cucumber, It’s A Sin and Tip Toe are the ones that will be on my gravestone.”
