Jason Costello Long-running British soap Hollyoaks is adding a storyline about a trans boy. It will watch the progress of 15-year-old Jason Costello, as he transitions from being a girl. Jason will first be seen as Jasmine, who has always felt like a boy and dresses as one in secret. The character is to be played by 23-year-old actress Victoria Atkin. The storyline is billed the following way: "As Jasmine battles the trauma, disgust and frustration of living her life as a girl, with the guilt, fear and uncertainty of her second life dressed as a boy, Jasmine is forced on a journey of self-discovery as she realises the pressures and pain of living with Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and the effect the condition will have on her family, friends and peers." Hollyoaks producers say it will not be sensationalist. Series Producer Paul Marquess says he is proud the show is able to tackle the issue of GID and the effect the condition has on the families. "Around one in 4,000 people in Britain are receiving medical help for Gender Dysphoria and if we can bring the issue to the forefront to help more young people identify and talk about the condition, then I believe that can only be a positive thing”. The soap has worked support groups to ensure their portrayal is accurate, and spoken to several young trans men and women about their experiences. Coronation Street is currently the only British soap to have a permanent trans character, in Hayley Cropper.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 4th July 2010 - 10:36am