Watch the heartwarming moment a ‘Big Brother’ housemate reveals they are trans

The reality show Big Brother UK returned to British screens on Sunday night for the first time in six years. It was canceled by Channel 5 in 2018, but fellow broadcaster ITV re-commissioned the show.

One of the contestants is 18-year-old youth worker Hallie from London (above). On last night’s edition of the show, she revealed to the 15 other housemates that she is transgender.

She said she wanted to inform them as she felt she hadn’t been her authentic self. She went on to say that if she won the competition, she’d spend the prize money on having gender-affirming surgery and paying her mom back for all the money she’d spent on covering her treatment costs.

One of the other housemates asks her how much a “fanny” (British slang for vagina) will cost. Hallie responded with a quote of around £30,000 ($36,800).

Here’s to Hallie being her authentic self ❤️ #BBUK pic.twitter.com/hS8zOrk6TS

— Big Brother UK (@bbuk) October 9, 2023

All of the housemates appeared supportive. They then went on to have a straightforward discussion in which they all stated their pronouns. Not to mention, the segment went down well with plenty of viewers.

I know politically we’re going backwards but Hallie coming out as a trans woman and then all the housemates doing a pronoun-around felt like we’ve come on leaps and bounds. I don’t think that would have happened 10 years ago. The perfect reaction to coming out. #BigBrother pic.twitter.com/NvIzXGiQSi

— Harry Nicholas (@HarryNicholas_) October 9, 2023

catching up on #BBUK and the pronouns convo was just so sweet. 16 people stuck together in a house and they’re all starting off with treating each other with respect. it’s literally that easy. i don’t get why people make such a fuss of it. it’s nice to be nice! cheers to that pic.twitter.com/e0nvddN4mY

— niall (@ni_alln) October 9, 2023

One of the strengths of Big Brother has always been showing how well most people embrace difference and how very different people can get along. This was classic #BBUK tonight; simple acceptance and support. Also, look how easy asking about pronouns really is. https://t.co/RtV2gtQhS8

— Monty Moncrieff MBE (@MontyMoncrieff) October 9, 2023

Aw that’s amazing and 100% how people should react and not as they do in the media starting getting fixated with stranger’s genitals.

— Kate Anderson Designs 🍅 👹 (@KateAndersonLTD) October 10, 2023

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak slams trans people in speech

This is not the first time Big Brother UK has featured a trans contestant. Another trans woman, Nadia, won the series way back in 2004. At the time, her participation passed without much comment. The issue of trans rights has since become a cultural hot topic and prompted a right-wing and gender-critical backlash.

Just last week, the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, gave a speech following the announcement his government intended to ban trans women from women’s hospital wards in the state-run National Health Service.

“We shouldn’t be bullied into believing people can be any sex they want to be, they can’t. A man is a man and a woman is a woman,” he told party members at the Conservative annual conference.

‘We shouldn’t be bullied into believing people can be any sex they want to be, they can’t. A man is a man and a woman is a woman’, says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.https://t.co/xItZsH7tea

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/P3U6ZEmtB6

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 4, 2023

Some observers viewed his comments as an attempt to distract from his government’s handling of the country’s cost-of-living crisis in the run-up to the next General Election in 2024.

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