While Pride month may be over, Scottish actor David Tennant is here to remind everyone that trans allyship doesn’t end with June. In a time when LGBTQ+ rights face increased attacks in both the UK and US, the former Time Lord continues to push for a future where trans kids can just be themselves.
On Monday, Tennant shared a series of teaser photos with the cast of Good Omens season two. But fans were quickly distracted by the actor’s rainbow lapel pin and Crooked Media t-shirt bearing the phrase: “Leave trans kids alone, you absolute freaks.”
The photo soon went viral. And while some of the usual gender-critical trolls have attempted to go after Tennant, fans overwhelmingly praised the actor for standing with trans kids.
Tennant is a consistent and outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ people. Having a nonbinary child himself (according to his wife’s Instagram), he has worn nonbinary and Pride pins to public events and TV appearances. And last month, Tennant joined the Reasons To Be Cheerful podcast, where he praised the fact that Pride continues to thrive in spite of the upsurge in reactionary movements around the world.
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“Do you know what’s making me cheerful at the moment?” he began. “It’s Pride month – the fact that Pride month is existing and is flourishing and is something that’s happening at a time when the world seems to be getting, in some corners, worryingly intolerant and weirdly backward.”
While that progress is encouraging, Tennant warned listeners not to grow complacent. “We can’t take our foot off the gas,” he said. “We can’t expect that we will always travel in the right direction towards acceptance. We’ve all got to be fighting that fight every day.”
Tennant memorably starred in the early aughts revival of Doctor Who, where he played the 10th Doctor for three seasons. He is due to play the 14th Doctor in upcoming specials this year before passing the torch onto 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. In the meantime, Tennant has jumped over to Neil Gaiman’s very queer Sandman universe, starring in Good Omens alongside Michael Sheen.
The second season of Good Omens is coming to Amazon Prime Video on July 28.