Netflix’s ‘Baby-Sitters Club’ Features Transgender Child Activist (VIDEO)
Netflix’s newest show for children, an adaptation of “The Baby-Sitters Club” book series, is drawing controversy for including a transgender child in an episode’s storyline.
The episode features a child named Bailey, who is played by nine year-old Kai Shippley. Shippley, who was born a boy, now identifies as a girl and made headlines when his family insisted he be allowed to use the girls’ bathroom at his school in Texas. With the encouragement of his parents, Kai is now an LGBTQ activist and has been a high-profile member of the movement.
In the episode, Bailey is admitted to a hospital, and a doctor refers to him as a boy, his gender by birth even though he dresses like a girl. Bailey’s teenage baby-sitter MaryAnne (one of the show’s main characters) then lectures the doctor that he is making Bailey feel “insignificant and humiliated” by his gender, and not his identification.
Netflix has tweeted a clip from the show’s storyline, openly claiming that it will help shape the worldview of young viewers. In the tweet, Netflix calls misgendering “traumatic.”
Later, another character (with a gay father) compares a trans child’s experience to using a dominant hand. “If someone tried to make you do everything with your left hand, it would be super-weird right,” the character tells a right-handed MaryAnne. “Well, that’s how Bailey feels. The same way that you know that you’re right-handed, Bailey knows she’s a girl. We all want our outsides to match our insides.”
Kai’s mother Kimberly has championed her son’s new celebrity, tweeting about his appearance on the show. “Kai has a teenie-tiny part in a guest starring role in BabySittersClubNetflix but it’s creating a huge impact,” she tweeted. “Obviously people want more of this! Trans people playing trans roles!”
Bailey’s family has reportedly hinted that they are pursuing more acting roles for the child.
The Netflix tweets received both supportive and critical responses, with many pointing out that the show was ridiculous to celebrate the character’s “triggered” behavior. Even though the doctor’s “misgendering” was not malicious and likely unintentional, Mary Anne’s condescending tone is indicative of the “cancel culture” that will destroy anyone who strays from the path they set.
Despite the controversy, Netflix was defiant, continuing to tweet in support of trans kids.
Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire discussed the situation on his podcast, and a clip from it is included below.
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