Annie Wallace says the "great optimism" she had for trans people's futures when she joined 'Hollyoaks' has now "evaporated".
Annie Wallace
The 53-year-old actress - who became the first-ever transgender person to play a regular transgender character in a leading UK soap when she appeared as Sally St. Claire in 2015 - has hit out at people for signing an "anti-trans petition", and says the hope she had of a bright future for the "acceptance and understanding" of trans people has gone.
She wrote on Twitter: "Name something that predatory males don't, and won't, need to abuse women...
Answer. A Gender Recognition Certificate, self-IDed or not.
This continuing assault from a small number of people and their mainstream media buddies is exponential. When I started at @hollyoaks, I had great optimism for trans people's future, in terms of public acceptance and understanding. This has now evaporated.
The open hostility, coupled with the lies, manipulation of facts and even the complicity of trans people who consider themselves superior to others (you're not, BTW, they'll throw you under their bus once you've ceased to be useful) is beyond a joke now.
But guess what. I'm not going anywhere. I'm long in the tooth with this argument, and I support my trans brothers and sisters all the way, inclusively, intersectionally and unconditionally. (sic)"
But Annie is "proud" of the Channel 4 soap for "writing important LGBT+ stories" and also investing in their characters "100 per cent".
She added: "One final thing. I'm proud of @hollyoaks. Big time proud. Not only fantastic entertainment, but the most supportive environment in front of, and behind the camera. Writing important LGBT+ stories without needing to trumpet it from the rooftops & investing in their characters 100% (sic)"