Non-binary poet Gray Crosbie performed their spoken word poem for BBC Scotland’s The Social. (BBC Scotland)
Piers Morgan has claimed the BBC is “pumping out gender nonsense” for giving a platform to a non-binary poet speaking out about the struggles of getting a simple haircut.
The difficulties LGBT+ people face receiving gender-affirming services like haircuts are well-documented.
Non-binary poet Gray Crosbie performed their spoken word poem for The Social by BBC Scotland, which develops creative talent from across Scotland
They said in the poem: “Sometimes I need a haircut it’s really that simple. But simplicity seems to jump out the window when I head out the door into our society which has a limited capacity for people who don’t fit the norm.”
Crosbie discusses the challenge of choosing between a salon, typically for women, and a barbershop, typically for men.
They said they face questions on their gender and sexuality as soon as they sit down in the chair, and added: “Sometimes I pick my labels to make other people feel okay, but it’s never enough to say where I’d like to be trimmed or shaved.
“They need to know my sex – how else can they charge the appropriate rate?” They added that the “hair on our heads is charged by what’s between our legs”.
Morgan, who has long decried the “trans lobby”, took to Twitter to criticise the BBC for giving a platform to the non-binary poet.
BBC pumping out more gender nonsense. Nobody has to ‘struggle’ getting a bloody haircut. https://t.co/PtbhAwHG77
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 18, 2020
He wrote: “BBC pumping out more gender nonsense. Nobody has to ‘struggle’ getting a bloody haircut.”
The Good Morning Britain host added in another tweet: “Most people, including me, are perfectly tolerant and respectful of trans people and want them to attain equality. But this kind of nonsense just makes a mockery of trans issues and real struggles.”
The BBC said it had been “fighting hate from all around the world” is response to Crosbie’s poem, and comments under their original tweet of the video included that the non-binary poet needed a “psychiatrist not a barber”.
BBC Scotland’s ‘The Social’ wrote on Twitter: “It’s been a tough 24 hours here, fighting hate from all around the world, all because we shared the lived experience of a young person in Scotland.
“We take threats and bullying very seriously here at The Social and we have been reporting those tweets.”
It’s been a tough 24 hours here, fighting hate from all around the world, all because we shared the lived experience of a young person in Scotland. We take threats and bullying very seriously here at The Social and we have been reporting those tweets #BeKind https://t.co/JM281S0rOT
— BBC The Social (@bbcthesocial) February 19, 2020
Crosbie said in their poem: “There’s so much possibility if we trim a bit off our prejudices… We’re queer and we’re here and life can be tough out there.
“So do you have to make a fuss or could you just cut our f**king hair?”