BBC criticised over non-binary Casualty character discussing top surgery

Casualty – Alistair Heap

The BBC has been criticised over an episode of Casualty which shows a non-binary character discussing top surgery.

The campaign group Safe Schools Alliance posted on social media that this was a “new low” for the broadcaster, adding that it had “continually appeased the ideologues in their organisation rather than engaging with experts who understand child development and safeguarding”.

Others criticised the decision to show the scene before the 9pm watershed when children could be watching the show.

The episode, which aired at 8.20pm on Saturday on BBC One, includes a character discussing their “top surgery” and being presented with a surprise cake shaped like breasts.

“Top surgery” commonly refers to a mastectomy carried out on transgender men to remove breast tissue.

The character, Sah, said in another clip released by the BBC:

Fair Play for Women, a female rights charity, questioned if the BBC had taken its safeguarding responsibilities “seriously” in choosing to air the episode.

Posting a screenshot of an FOI sent to the BBC asking for the names of external groups consulted about the “top surgery” storyline, the charity said: “Let’s see whether the BBC team took its safeguarding responsibilities seriously.”

Arin Smethurst, the non-binary trans actor who plays Sah, previously told Metro: “Sah is really interesting for me to play for a number of reasons. I think that I’ve figured out more about my queer identity than they have when you meet them in the show.

“I am familiar and comfy with my sexuality and I’m uncovering new parts of my gender identity at a rapid pace. I am non-binary and also transmasculine, which means that I consider myself to lean more towards masculinity. I’m more boy than anything else, but still not a man.”

Other viewers said watching the character get their date for top surgery was an “utterly joyful moment” and posted congratulations to the character.

The BBC was contacted for comment.

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