Viewers accused a Good Morning Britain guest of ‘breath taking stupidity’ when she was trying to make a point on the show. The UK’s first transgender newsreader India Willoughby was appearing on the show today (Jan 16) to discuss the issue of children being able to change the sex on their birth certificates at the age of 16, which is happening in Scotland.
In making her point, India brandished her passport at the screen twice - prompting host Susanna Reid to quickly step in to try to stop her. Viewers had their heads in their hands as she held it open with all her details potentially visible for criminals to steal.
Susanna Reid said: “Let’s take that specific example if you’re a boy, it’s a single sex boys school, but you feel very uncomfortable you want you do choose to change your gender. Do you stay at the school as a girl or do you then go to the girl school? What do you understand would happen in that circumstance at 16?
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“If you’re a boy who you know, you believe you were born into the wrong body and you’re actually and you changed gender to be a girl, then you would then expect to be at a girl’s school, which would you not?”
India Willoughby replied: “You would absolutely that that’s what I’m saying. Because we recognise trans people. And just to clarify, I know we’re talking about gender and sex, and it’s become a kind of interchangeable word where one means the same thing. Just to be clear that under the gender recognition actually change sex." India then brandished her passport up to the screen.
Susanna quickly cut in: “Just be careful about holding your passport up. We don’t want anybody to get your passport details.” Ed added: “The point is that your passport says that your sex is female.” India responded: “Yes you change your legal sex that is what happens when you go through the gender recognition act.”
Viewers thought India was making a big mistake. Careless Whispers said: “Such stupidity trying to be clever but actually showing your passport’s unique barcode 3 times on national tv. Screenshot then stolen identity.”
ConfusedWorker1 added: “India Willoughby holding up her passport on live television to prove that she’s a woman and not a man is by far the most stupid thing I’m going to see all week, and it’s 7:30am on a Monday.”
Tracy Maudsley warned: “Stop waving your passport around India #GMB” Danny Denay #joked: “If you hold your passport up a third time I’m stealing your identity #GMB
Truth and Beauty said: “#GMB India Willoughby has just held ‘her’ passport up to the camera on national TV. All info fully visible and in focus for several seconds.”
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