Charlie McDonnell has announced their new pronouns in a heartwarming gender reveal on Instagram.
The famed YouTuber - who became the first UK creator on the platform to reach one million subscribers - took to Instagram to share her news, writing alongside a selfie: "Gender reveal [...] Still going by Charlie but the new pronouns are she/they!"
The caption also included the transgender flag, with Charlie beaming a happy smile while sporting shoulder-length hair, glasses, and a yellow t-shirt.
And the response from her 154,000 followers has been overwhelmingly positive, with the post amassing over 47,000 likes and fans flooding the comments section with praise.
Welsh screenwriter and television producer Russell T Davies wrote: "Hello Charlie! Much love".
One fan added: "I just started watching more of your current content after growing up with your channel and seeing you thriving like this makes me SO happy omg."
"So happy for you! Love you Charlie," a third wrote.
Credit: Instagram/@coollike
And over on Twitter, actor Barnaby Edwards also shared his joy for McDonnell, writing: "I taught Charlie how to work a Dalek, way back in the Matt Smith era. She was a joy to hang out with - intelligent, funny, modest. I’m delighted she’s found happiness."
A second fan also tweeted: "Charlie McDonnell @coollike came out as trans! She was the first youtuber I really enjoyed watching all the way back in the 2000s. They look amazing and so at peace [...] wishing you all the best Charlie."
After amassing over 2.1 million subscribers on YouTube, in 2019 McDonnell revealed that she was quitting the platform in order to focus on her career in screenwriting and filmmaking.
McDonnell was also a founding member of the band Chameleon Circuit. Also consisting of fellow vloggers Alex Day, Liam Dryden, and Chris Beattie - and later Ed Blann and Michael Aranda - the band became known for creating music inspired by the popular BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who.
During her screenwriting career, McDonnell has also written/co-written the short films The Tea Chronicles, Offline, Strangers in a Bed, and Our Brother.
Recently, She has also gained a huge following on Twitch, where interacts with fans by playing games.
Featured image credit: Instagram/@coollike / ANDREW WALTERS / Alamy
A host of celebrities have taken to social media to tweet their support for Juno star Elliot Page, after the actor revealed he is transgender in a heartwarming Instagram post.
Yesterday (December 1), the 33-year-old X-Men and Juno star took to Instagram to announce to his 3.8 million followers that he is transgender, opting to use the pronouns he/they, along with the name Elliot.
Page's heartwarming post not only highlighted his pride in being a trans individual, but the Oscar-nominee also stated that he is "scared" of the "invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and violence" that he now faces, with Page asking for privacy at this time.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images]]
Since sharing the emotional post, a number of celebrities have spoken out in support of Elliot, praising his strength to publicly identify as his true self.
Actress and Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick wrote alongside Page's original post: "Elliot Page's words here are so beautiful and so eloquent, and he is reminding me that we can all be brave and joyful, even when things are scary. And this year especially, that reminder is such a GIFT.
"Sending them love/praise/gratitude/well-wishes etc etc etc etc."
And replying to Page's original post, actress Mia Farrow wrote: "Wishing you every blessing and happiness as you begin your new adventure dear Elliot!! How great!"
Avengers star Mark Ruffalo also tweeted his support for the actor, writing: "[Congratulations], Elliot, in committing to the full expression of your self and being so open and candid about it.
"You have made this world a more tolerant and loving place with your commitment, courage, and vulnerability. We are lucky to have public figures like you."
And Ellen DeGeneres tweeted her support to Elliot, writing: "Sending love to my friend, @TheElliotPage. You inspire me with your strength, courage and honesty."
In his original coming out post, Page started by writing: "Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.
"I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life."
The heartwarming post continued: "I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.
"I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society."
Asking his fanbase for "patience", Elliot then stated: "My joy is real, but it is also fragile."
Addressing the adversity and violence trans people face, Page wrote: "The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared.
"I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture."
Page then detailed how 40 trans people have been murdered this year in the US alone, calling out those "political leaders who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our right to exist," along with "those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community".
Page added: "You have blood on your hands.
[[imagecaption|| Page and his wife, Emma Portner. Credit: PA Images]]
Continuing, Page wrote:
"You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide.
"Enough is enough.
"You aren’t being canceled, you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we don’t be silent in the face of your attacks."
Concluding his emotional post, Page stated: "I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.
"To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."
This Morning's Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield had a candid discussion with Charlie and Louise Draven about the process of switching genders.
The couple discussed the emotionally draining process, as well as their four-year-old son Star's sweet reaction when he discovered that his mother, Louise, who is his biological father, would be going into surgery.
"He has always known Louise is mum, the only little difference is mum now has to go to The bathroom for half an hour three times a day and he knows she is doing something she needs to do," Charlie explained, per The Mirror.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: ITV / Screenshot]]
"We haven't told him the ins and outs because he is only seven," Charlie added. "He knows the doctors helped mummy to be who she should have been, he accepts that."
"The first thing he said when she told him she was going for her operation was, 'Will she bring me something back because she is going so far away?' When we said she would, he said, 'Well as long as mummy is happy, I am happy'."
The interview, conducted today (September 17), marked five weeks since Louise's gender reassignment surgery.
However, the process was not exactly what Louise, who has waited 10 years for the surgery, expected it to be. Instead of having a "Julie Andrews moment," as she thought, Louise described it as a feeling of "everything feeling right," at long last.
"It's been a really good time, it's been emotional, there has been ups and downs," she explained. "Everything has fallen into place comfortably, I feel more comfortable in myself."
Despite experiencing a significant amount of pain, "everything felt good, everything felt the place it should be. This is the full definition of who I am and my life."
[[imagecaption|| Credit: ITV / Screenshot]]
Charlie, on the other hand - who was born a woman - is currently awaiting surgery, having been on the waiting list for his first consultation for 26 months.
He also disclosed that he disagreed with the British Medical Association, who have said that people should be able to change their gender without a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from two separate medical professionals like they have to at the moment.
Charlie said that transgender people should have to be medically diagnosed, but that the waiting lists are too long:
"They should work on the waiting lists rather than the gender reform," he said. "Being on the list for so long, it's emotionally draining."
Last week it was reported that British singer, Sam Smith, requested to be referred to as "they" not "he", six months after confirming a non-binary identity.
According to The Sun, the 27-year-old asked family and friends to make the change, as Smith thanked Hits Radio presenter James Barr on Twitter for referring to the performer as "they".
"Just interviewed @samsmith and they sounded so happy and free and more themselves than ever. it’s made me feel like the world is a good place again," Barr tweeted Smith.
"You’re one of the first people to use these pronouns with me. Thank you. That feels really beautiful," the singer replied.
Smith later confirmed the change on Twitter. "Today is a good day so here goes. I’ve decided I am changing my pronouns to THEY/THEM [...] after a lifetime of being at war with my gender I’ve decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out..." they wrote.
"I’m so excited and privileged to be surrounded by people that support me in this decision but I’ve been very nervous about announcing this because I care too much about what people think but f*ck it!" they continued.
"I understand there will be many mistakes and mis gendering but all I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now. Thank you.
P.s. I am at no stage just yet to eloquently speak at length about what it means to be non binary but I can’t wait for the day that I am. So for now I just want to be VISIBLE and open. If you have questions and are wondering what this all means I’ll try my best to explain..."
However, the Associated Press apparently misgendered Smith when reporting their pronoun change. In a screengrab posted to Twitter by non-binary journalist, @ashleycdye, the publication refers to the singer using male pronouns seven times in three paragraphs.
"And now @APfinally corrects (without a clarification/correction line) ... by writing around it and waiting until the last paragraphs to use they for Sam Smith. OK, still bad!" the journalist captioned a follow-up tweet.
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ashleycdye/status/1172606942725988353?s=20]] Smith has previously spoken of "the war" of finding their identity. In an interview with GQ they elaborated;
"Ever since I was a little boy, ever since I was a little human, I didn’t feel comfortable being a man really. I never really did.
Some days I’ve got my manly side and some days I’ve got my womanly side, but it’s when I’m in the middle of that switch that I get really, really depressed and sad. Because I don’t know who I am or where I am or what I’m doing, and I feel very misunderstood by myself. I realised that’s because I don’t fit into either.
I was with my mum last night and she said something so beautiful: ‘I’m so relieved that you and me and your whole family have a way to explain this, because it’s also been eating me up your whole life.’
Because my mum could see it and that it was a torture going on in my mind."
Elliot Page came out as transgender back in March, asserting "I'm fully who I am".
He is now one of the most famous transgender people in the world. After his announcement, Page gained 400,000 followers on Instagram, countless think-pieces were published, and directors reached out, wanting to cast him in their films. But there was, disappointingly, a conservative backlash.
Following the actor's decision to share his first topless photo following his transition, some people have sadly responded by publishing before and after pictures – which is not okay.
VT spoke to three trans individuals about their stance on this. While their personal views on the matter vary — they are united in the belief that sharing such photos without the person's consent is deeply disrespectful to their present gender identity.
(Credit: Alamy)
Captain Cat Burton (she/her), 68, former British Airways Pilot
Captain Cat Burton worked for British Airways for 45 years as a man, before coming out as trans to her colleagues when she was 58.
"If you do a Google search for Cat Burton, British Airways, you'll find a dozen or more articles about me," she tells VT. "If you look at the oldest one, you'll find that the words are actually quite good. I didn't caution the use of photographs, however. They asked me to supply some photos, which I did, but they also searched and found old photographs of me. So when the article came out, there was a photo of me smoking a pipe with a moustache, in the 1980s.
"I'm a pretty robust individual, so it wasn't a crushing blow, but I wished they hadn't used photos without asking for my permission, because that person is still part of me, but that identity is dead. And in the same way that we say using someone's pre-transition name is 'dead-naming', effectively using a pre-transition photo is 'dead-facing'.
"It's a really funny sensation to describe. It's just something that you've put so far behind you."
(Credit: Supplied)
Verity Smith (he/him), 39, Sports Inclusion Officer, Mermaids
Speaking about the prevalence of before and after pictures, Verity stresses that it's up to the individual in question to consent to them being used: "For some people, it’s about getting as far away from their past and leaving that part of their life and journey behind them.
"But for me it's a reminder of where I used to be, showing me how far I have come, and how much I've fought to be the man I am today.
"If you google me there are a lot of pictures through my transition. I am proud of where I have come from, but we are all individuals with different reasons for what we do, and that is not up for public interest or debate without our permission."
(Credit: Supplied)
Alex Woolhouse (she/her), 25, Pro Bono & Legal Strategy Coordinator at Mermaids
Alex Woolhouse started transitioning when she was 21, and has lived full time as a woman since the age of 22.
"From a personal standpoint, I don’t mind people looking at pictures of me pre-transition because I look very different," she says. "It feels like I’m looking at a different person and it just isn’t a picture of me.
"I love looking at pictures of me as a toddler playing dress-up because it affirms my gender now – showing that I was always the princess that I am today. However, I wouldn’t want any potential partner to see them because I would never want them to think of me pre-transition or as anything other than a girl.
"I don't think it's a good thing when news publications show before and afters because sensationalises the process and focuses too much on the transition," she continues. "It also enforces a gender binary. I think as a general rule it's more respectful to just use current pictures and current names and pronouns and I prefer articles when they are drafted that way."
Bella Ramsey has taken to social media to share a sweet message on Transgender Day of Visibility where she posted a picture of her younger self.
Ramsey, 19, is one of the world's most discussed stars right now after she blew everyone away with her captivating and at points heartbreaking performance in HBO's The Last of Us.
The teen actor rose to fame in Game Of Thrones before landing the role of Ellie.
The star, who uses she/her pronouns, came out as non-binary in January this year and on this year's Transgender Day of Visibility which took place on March 13, she shared a message to her younger self.
"Happy TDOV to this little dude! I didn’t know the word non-binary in this picture. But I knew what it meant. Inherently," Ramsey penned on Twitter.
"Because I always was, and always will be. Lotsa love to all of my trans, enby and gender funky friends."
Earlier this year, Ramsey sat down with GQ UK where she discussed the HBO series as well as her experiences filming as a non-binary person.
The rising star revealed that she wore a chest binder for "90% of the time" she was on set, which she said "probably isn't healthy, like please bind safely".
Check out the trailer for The Last of Us:
A chest binder is often used by non-binary or transgender people who are in the process of transitioning as it reduces the appearance of breasts, though it is recommended to only wear it for short periods of time so it doesn't restrict breathing.
Ramsey also spoke to The New York Times about her identity, stating that she always felt "fluid" and she would often be "excited" when she was referred to as a boy.
"I guess my gender has always been very fluid. Someone would call me 'she' or 'her' and I wouldn't think about it, but I knew that if someone called me 'he' it was a bit exciting," Ramsey noted.
"I'm just very much a person. Being gendered isn't something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn't care less."
Bella portrays Ellie in The Last of Us, which has received critical acclaim. Credit: S.A.M. / Alamy
Ramsey has also been outspoken about the backlash that the HBO series received after it depicted same-sex romances.
"I know people will think what they want to think. But they're gonna have to get used to it," she said via GQ. "If you don't want to watch the show because it has gay storylines, because it has a trans character, that's on you, and you're missing out."
The Last of Us has been renewed for season two and we can't wait!
.webp_vBqgAR?tr=cr-242.0.1293.1051,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.webp_QQJmGo?tr=cr-345.0.1535.1190,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.webp_QQJmGo?tr=cr-345.0.1535.1190,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)