Courtney Act has brilliantly explained gender to India Willoughby on Celebrity Big Brother
(YouTube/big brother uk)
Courtney Act has already won over the nation on Celebrity Big Brother 2018.
The RuPaul’s Drag Race star has charmed her way into our collective hearts, to the extent that they are now the odds-on favourite to win the show.
In contrast, transgender presenter India Willoughby‘s chances of winning are rated at 100/1 with some.
India has attracted criticism by saying – among other things – that she has a phobia of drag queens after she saw a performance by Courtney.
She’s now the likeliest contestant to leave the house during CBB’s first eviction of the series tomorrow, according to the bookmakers.
In a discussion with India about their sexual and gender identities, the drag queen showed why she has become so much more popular than her other housemates.
Courtney interrupted India saying that she didn’t want transgender people to be necessarily associated with drag, pointing out that “it’s not taking away from your sexuality at all.”
She then proceeded to produce a wonderful explanation of gender and sexuality that could be taught in schools.
“We know that a lot of people just see us the same, and we both know that that’s completely incorrect,” said Courtney, whose real name is Shane Jenek.
“But I think the tricky thing is that my feeling is that gender does exist on a spectrum,” they continued.
“And I would say, [on] the Kinsey scale, with sexuality from zero to six – where one is exclusively heterosexual and six is exclusively homosexual – I would say I’m a four.
“I’d say that if three is in the middle, I’d be like, a four. I have attractions to women; I’ve had sex with women; most of my attraction is for men.”
Courtney then explained how another spectrum could be used for gender.
“And I think that gender’s similar, where, you know, if one is female and six is male, I’m probably the same – I’m probably a four or a three-and-a-half.
“I’m close to the middle, but I’m on the male side of the middle, whereas you would be a one.”
Courtney continued: “You’re a woman, and probably most of the people in this house are closer to the one or the six.
They said that acceptance of this fact would come “when people start to understand that gender can exist on a spectrum and that your story is different to my story, is different to someone else’s story.
“It is more complex cause there are more than two answers, and people aren’t used to that.
“They’re like, ‘Male, female. Got it.'”
They ended on an optimistic note, saying: “So I think just the conversation will evolve, hopefully.”
Since entering the house, India has found herself embroiled in a number of controversies.
She has been misgendered by some of her fellow housemates.
She also said genderfluid people “cheapen” the transgender struggle.
Courtney, who identifies as genderqueer, has been enlightening the house on several issues around gender.
Earlier this week, she gave fellow housemate Andrew Brady a full drag makeover.
India responded by comparing drag to blackface.
Courtney has also rowed with Ann Widdecombe over same-sex marriage.
The drag star, whose home country of Australia just legalised marriage equality, told the retired MP they had researched her voting record and were far from impressed.
Watch the full video here:
.@IndiaWilloughby and Shane J @courtneyact get to the bottom of the gender debate.
Don’t miss tonight’s #CBB, 9pm on @channel5_tv pic.twitter.com/RZjVfeSi02
— Big Brother UK (@bbuk) January 7, 2018
