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RTÉ’S NEW SITCOM which aired last night has received 24 complaints in relation to the portrayal of a transgender woman character in the programme called Nuala.
The new comedy, ‘The Centre’, has been criticised by the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) who said the character of the assistant manager Nuala Mooney, a transgender woman who is played by Aprés Match’s Gary Cooke is “mocked on every occasion she appears on screen”.
In a statement on their website today,TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone said:
The Centre is a throwback to the dark ages of television and RTÉ should do better.Nuala is the stock character of a ‘man in a dress’ played for cheap laughs.
Her appearance and identity are fair game to the other characters on the show and their comments and quips re-enforce every stereotype that exists for trans people in this country
A statement from Bill Malone, Channel Controller for RTE Two to TheJournal.ie this evening, confirmed that 24 complaints on the issue had been made.
The statement said:
The Centre is a comedy full of exaggerated characters. Nualla is a Transgendered character accepted unreservedly by her co-workers and those who use ‘The Centre’, and while comical, is actually a positive LGBT character.The attacks on Nualla come from one source – the repulsive Amanda Menton, who represents all that is wrong with society.
In effect, the exaggerated cartoon character of Amanda Menton is an equal opportunities offender – she insults ALL, she is sexist, ageist, fattest, elitist, bigoted etc. LGBT characters should not be treated differently.
The statement went on to say that the new comedy is supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and features emerging Irish writing and acting talent and ” is exceptionally rare to have such a female led comedy cast”.
Giambrone said that “at no point is the audience laughing with Nuala, they are laughing at her,” adding that the new sitcom “masquerades as edgy by poking fun at minority groups”.
He added, “unfortunately, we see the very real effects of how this type of ‘humour’ contributes to the marginalisation of the trans community”.
Additional reporting Aoife Barry
I always thought this was the one that will have him eating porridge.
@ggg:
@ggg:
@ggg: yup. Of all of the cases against him this is the most likely to end up with a prison sentence. Easy to prove and automatic prison time.
They are really pushing for civil war over there! the democratics want to be careful what they wish for.
Where’s the charges for the people who repressed the hunter Biden laptop fiasco, and lying calling it a “Russian misinformation” all in the run up too the last election because it would have been detrimental impact on Biden campaign! Election meddling at its finest by the democratics and intelligence services..
@I9AQcjXs: Are you saying that Republicans aren’t democratic?
@I9AQcjXs: it’s not the democrats prosecuting him. Hunter biden is a private citizen and a republican led oversight commitee has admitted there is nothing illegal on the laptop. It is a nothing burger, as they say. If this is election meddling, what do you call trump asking georgia to ‘find’ 11k votes?
@I9AQcjXs: so Trump shouldn’t have to abide by the law because it might offend some of his lunatic supporters? Also you are way behind the time regarding Hunters laptop which even the GOP say is a nothing burger. Not to mention that he isn’t running for public office and never has. But you know who was running for office? Hillary Clinton, when her email story was announced the week before the election. But you’re not interested in facts are you? That’s why you didn’t know that the Laptop story has been done to death and proven to be much ado about nothing.
I’m not a supporter of trump but the alleged crimes committed in 2016 and 2020 are coming to the forefront now with prosecutions. He could have been prosecuted at the time but all this coming up now when he is running for election shows a pure political motivation to these allegations.
@Ciaran: can’t prosecute a sitting president, he was in office between those years. Also this particular offence didn’t happen until the end of 2020. Prosecutions in the USA take as long as they do here.
Finally an article on Niall Collins but surprise surprise, comments once again closed. Why do the journal feel he needs protecting from criticism or questions? None of this debacle is before the courts yet. Cowardly journal staff.
@ggg: Their website. Their terms and conditions. Their legal liability for content, including comments posted. I’m sure Their are plenty of forums on which you could comment online about that news story.
@Numinous20111: what legal liability? Nothing is before the courts. I’m thinking you may not know what legal liability is my friend.
@ggg: It’s commonsense, not cowardice. We have strong libel laws in Ireland and the commentators on here aren’t exactly known for their ability to fact check what they’re posting.
@The Big Baba: I can’t reply directly to ggg, so have to reply by means of your own comment. In your eagerness to comment, you are forgetting
or ignoring that comments here can be retrospectively relevant if legal process commences. Think also of why Fox News fired Carlson yesterday.
The amount of sad deluded people that refuse to accept how the lying treacherous orange thing is playing them for every penny he can.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: nothing burger”
have your say