India Willoughby

India Scarlett Willoughby (born 2 September 1965) is an English newsreader, broadcaster, journalist and reality television personality. She is Britain's first transgender national television newsreader and the first transgender co-host of an all-women talk show, Loose Women on ITV.

Quotes

• That's twice you've misgendered me. Amanda – that's the second time she's misgendered me and she's just chuckled. [The other participant, Amanda Barrie, apologised for using the 'he' pronoun] Well, an apology is not enough because I'm sorry, but I did explain to you how important it was and that's twice you've done it. You certainly don't misgender someone and then have a chuckle. [Barrie later apologised once more] You’re right Amanda, silly me taking offence. Apology not accepted.
• You know how people are scared of clowns? I'm like that with drag queens.
  • On Celebrity Big Brother, as cited by Emma Powell in "'Hypocrite' India Willoughby slammed by Celebrity Big Brother viewers for drag queen 'fear' after slating Amanda Barrie for mistaking her gender", The Standard (5 September 2018)

• Somebody coming in, dressed that way freaks me out. I know it doesn’t freak anyone else out because none of you have gender dysphoria.
• I know that people that perform in drag don't do it intentionally, probably like in the old days when the black and white minstrels used to put on a show.
  Obviously black people would find that offensive, and I just want to make it apparent to you why I got upset.
  • On Celebrity Big Brother (Channel 5, 9 January 2018), as cited in "Celebrity Big Brother viewers brand India Willoughby a 'bigot' after she compares drag to blackface", The Standard (9 January 2018)

• I'm old enough to remember the 1970s and, basically, the UK trans community is treated like the IRA. To the BBC in particular, I'm the equivalent of Gerry Adams minus the beard. The enemy. Only allowed on if it's a "trans on trial" segment. Unable to participate on other subjects or, God forbid, be seen having a laugh.
  • "India Willoughby on her nomination for Woman of the Year", The National (Glasgow, 15 October 2023)
  • Willoughby had been nominated for Woman of the Year.

• I'm more of a woman than JK Rowling will ever be.
  • Tweet, as cited by Inga Parkel in "Mark Hamill explains why he 'liked' controversial JK Rowling post", The Independent (26 January 2024)
  • Rowling responded with a "Citation needed" request in a tweet.

About India Willoughby

• [Referring to her earlier interview with Willoughby on Woman's Hour (BBC Radio 4)] India held firmly to her belief that she was a "real woman", ignoring the fact that she had spent all of her life before her transition enjoying the privileged position in our society generally accorded to a man. In a discussion about the Dorchester hotel's demands that its female staff should always wear make-up, have a manicure and wear stockings over shaved legs, she was perfectly happy to go along with such requirements. There wasn't a hint of understanding that she was simply playing into the stereotype — a man’s idea of what a woman should be.
  • Jenni Murray "Be trans, be proud — but don’t call yourself a 'real woman'", The Sunday Times (5 March 2017)

• Upon ejection she went straight to the TV studios. "Rachel Johnson was the architect of my demise!" she announced. I'd asked to touch her tits, she went on, and refused to share a dormitory with her, but my biggest crime by far was "misgendering" her repeatedly "within an hour" of us lab rats entering our CCTV cage.
  Which was curious because I hadn't done any of that.
  I decided not to rise to the bait, plus she'd blocked me on Twitter. But as I said, no biggie.
• At this point I might remind readers Willoughby has fathered children, and the Oxford English definition of a male is "the sex that can beget but not bear offspring".
  • Rachel Johnson "When it comes to trans issues, JK Rowling is the heir to George Orwell", The Standard (4 April 2024)