Ncuti Gatwa, a Doctor Who star, criticized the American and UK governments’ prejudice and stigmatization in a new interview, accusing officials of “openly attacking marginalized populations” to reach their personal goals.
In a brand-new US LGBTQ+ newspaper Attitude, Gatwa spoke eagerly about Doctor Who’s social impact, describing the mythical Doctor as a person who is “constantly fighting for every lifestyle,” including those of his foes, and is driven by “mercy and kindness.” Many people may take inspiration from the Doctor’s example, including many US UK officials, whom Gatwa condemned for scapegoating immigrants and LGBTQ+ people for political gain.
“When you see politicians boldly attacking marginalized populations, when our politicians openly attacking transgender people, it makes it okay for everyone else,” Gatwa told the newspaper. “Everything trickles down from the top.
“People who are the most vulnerable, the most alienated, most disconnected from everyone else, are being told that they are the risks,” Gatwa added. “It’s tired because it’s a hiding-away of your own ineptness […] You’re going to put the blame on newcomers, Black and brown people, transgender people, gay people, to hide the fact that you are not doing anything for individuals? It’s simpler to just cause unrest among individuals. It’s divide and conquer, isn’t it?”
Gatwa directed direct criticism at the US government at his remarks about prejudice coming “down from the top” of the social world. K.’s Conservative Party, then known as the Tories, who have controlled the country’s Parliament and professional unit since 2019. Traditional officials have repeatedly been accused of using immigration-related issues to spread racism and xenophobia among white voters, and they have also adopted increasingly anti-trans language. In a protracted anti-trans talk to his brother Tories last October, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak completely rejected the idea of trans identity. A few weeks later, he and right-wing lawmakers delayed a federal ban on conversion therapy due to concerns that a ban may also outlaw the exercise for trans people.
The UK due to the fame of anti-trans protestors like J.K. Rowling, as well as eminent anti-trans discrimination from British national advertising and Liberal politicians. LGBTQ+ advocates quickly and negatively criticized a new document funded by the US earlier this month. K. reportedly questioned the legitimacy of transgender equality in health care through the National Health Service, which allegedly used flawed analysis. Despite the uproar, the left-of-center Labour Party said last week that it would help implement the review’s advice. Activists for LGBT+ have accused critics of fostering a culture in the US K. where anti-trans crime is more appropriate, and how those policies and rhetoric are related to the brutal murder of Brianna Ghey last year and the harsh murder of another transgender girl in February.
Somewhere in Attitude’s meeting, Gatwa — breakout star of Sex Education and, lest we forget, one of the hottest Kens — discussed racist responses to his statement as the first Black manifestation of the Doctor, saying his enemies “need to go get a passion.” Gatwa even opened up about his personal voyage of unlearning absorbed bigotry, recovery from being physically untrusting, and finding a new path toward self-love and understanding.
“There’s so much white mediocrity that gets celebrated, and Black people, we have to be absolutely flawless to get half of [that] anyway,” Gatwa explained. “So, I’m slowly training myself out of that and being like, ‘No shit. You deserve love just for existing. And that has, in a strange way, taught me to be much more loving as well.”
Doctor Who series 14 premieres on BBC One and Disney+ on May 11.
