Australian comedian and actor Barry Humphries, best known for his drag character Dame Edna, has been strongly criticised over recent remarks on transgender people and Caitlyn Jenner.
The 81-year-old defended comments by fellow Australian Germaine Greer who said that trans woman such as Jenner were men “who believe that they are women and have themselves castrated”.
Humphries told the Daily Telegraph that he agreed with her and told the newspaper, "I agree with Germaine! You’re a mutilated man, that’s all."
Self-mutilation, what’s all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner – what a publicity-seeking ratbag. It’s all given the stamp – not of respectability, but authenticity or something. If you criticise anything you’re racist or sexist or homophobic.
Humphries is best known for his alter ego Dame Edna Everage
The comments have led to a wave of criticism on social media and from transgender advocates.
Well known transgender actress Rebecca Root, who is the star of popular BBC Two sitcom Boy Meets Girl, has said she is disappointed by his comments.
Humphries currently presents a show on BBC Radio 2, however Root has said he should be fired unless he retracts his comments and apologise.
Transgender actress Rebecca Root wants Humphries to apologise
“If he retracts the statement I’d say he’s said sorry, and move on. But if he does a Germaine Greer, I’d say he’s gone too far and the BBC should reconsider its position on giving him a show," she said.
“It’s rather disappointing for me as I’ve always liked Barry Humphries, and I’ve seen Dame Edna on stage. The fact is that this sense of humour resonates with the bad old days of Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson; dinosaurs from the 1970s. It’s very retrograde, and I hoped we’d moved on from it.”
The BBC said they have no plans to let the presenter go, with a spokesperson saying: “Barry Humphries is a freelance presenter for BBC Radio 2 and these are his personal views, which are not reflected in his radio programme.”
