You are here

    • You are here:
    • Home > Latest News > "Whovians" Take a Stand Over Transphobia

"Whovians" Take a Stand Over Transphobia

25/06/2019

One of the top Doctor Who podcasts is “Radio Free Skaro”.  Each week, the indepth webcast investigates the history, culture and politics behind the UK’s longest running science fiction franchises, and one which has always boasted a diverse following.  Indeed, a programme which once prompted the far right wing party the BNP to complain that it was too “radical” when black assistant Martha Jones joined the team in the TARDIS, is surely up there in the community’s good books.  This week, Radio Free Skaro has taken a rare stance in acknowledging problematic comments made by one Doctor Who scriptwriter.  Gareth Roberts is a gay man, and something of a poster boy for bear culture.  He has written several acclaimed stories for Doctor Who, including the Tenth Doctor adventure “The Unicorn and the Wasp” which contained a secret gay romance, and contributed to an audio reconstruction of the famous lost story “Shada” featuring the Fourth Doctor.  However, Mr Roberts has also caused some controversies in his liberal use of twitter, and his outspoken thoughts on the wider LGBT communities.  Mr Roberts made tweets in 2017 criticised by some BAME campaigners as having racist overtones.  In 2019 Mr Roberts came out as critical of the trans movement, using some language that led to other scriptwriters refusing to work with him.  This makes him something of an unusual figure.  Most LGBT politics watchers agree that in general, gay men have been more relaxed about trans issues than some branches of the feminist movement.  Either way, the Radio Free Skaro podcast notes the concern from some LGBT people about the writer.  They say:   “our latest Miniscope section features writer Gareth Roberts. We concentrated on Roberts writing contributions for both parts of the Miniscope, but we would be remiss to ignore the controversy surrounding Roberts’ views on trans people. As such, if you feel you shouldn’t listen, we completely understand.”

 

 

Science Fiction
podcasts
LGBT Podcasts
doctor who
BBC
television
Entertainment
Transgender Issues

Our Supporting Stations

BCfm - Our home station. Broadcasting across Bristol on 93.2fm
Gastonbury FM - Broadcasting across Glastonbury on 107.1fm
Bradley Stoke Radio - covering the Bradley Stoke area of Bristol on 103.4fm
Bath Sound - Making a noise about music, events and culture in Bath
Frome FM - covering Frome on 96.6fm
Thornbury FM - Streaming online from Thornbury near Bristol
Wave Radio - Streaming online from Weston Super Mare
Radio Tircoed - covering the Swansea area on 106.5fm
Trans Radio UK - Online trans focused radio
The Global Voice - Radio For All!
Medway Pride Radio - for the Rainbow Community & Beyond
KTCR - Connecting Communities
Ujima Radio
Base Radio
Sanctity of Sound