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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Jeffrey Ingold

Baby Reindeer strikes a painful chord for gay and bi men, and I know why: grooming and rape are common

Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer's writer and lead actor.
‘Baby Reindeer is a story of how trauma can shape the present, of sexual violence and its far-reaching impact.’ Richard Gadd, writer and lead actor. Photograph: Ed Miller/Netflix

Richard Gadd’s critically acclaimed Netflix series Baby Reindeer has proved wildly popular since its release two weeks ago.It’s a harrowing, semi-autobiographical tale about a young bisexual man who is stalked by an older woman. Much of the discussion around the show has focused on “Martha”, the fictional portrayal of Gadd’s real-life stalker. But Baby Reindeer is also a story of how trauma can shape the present, of sexual violence and its far-reaching impact, and sexuality.

For two years, I worked on Baby Reindeer as the show’s LGBTQ+ consultant, reviewing scripts to feed back on how LGBTQ+ people and issues are represented, providing training on creating an inclusive set for cast and crew, and ultimately, acting as a resource to answer questions or concerns from anyone working on the show.

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