Trans comedian Jordan Gray receives wave of support after absurd calls for her arrest
Jordan Gray was praised by many viewers for her comedy routine on Friday Night Live. (Channel 4)
Fans have rallied around comedian Jordan Gray after absurd suggestions she should be arrested for getting naked on TV.
Gray, who competed on The Voice in 2016, appeared on Channel 4’s Friday Night Live on 21 October to perform a comedy song about her experiences as a trans woman.
At the end of her performance, Gray shouted that the “best thing about live TV” is that she can “do stupid stuff like this”.
She then leapt up from the keyboard and proceeded to strip completely naked, to applause from the Friday Night Live crowd.
After the show was broadcast, prominent ‘gender critical’ author Helen Joyce referred to the stunt as a “sex crime” while others suggested Channel 4 should face charges for not “cutting the feed”.
Absolutely disgraceful. A sex crime committed on camera. While idiots whoop and cheer https://t.co/QaESEvHwIy
— Helen Joyce (@HJoyceGender) October 23, 2022
Just wait until they find out about Naked Attraction, a dating show where people are judged primarily on their genitals, which has run since 2016 without anyone ever bringing criminal charges against Channel 4.
‘I haven’t had a Yorkie bar in five years.’ – Jordan Gray (@Talldarkfriend) on the difficulties of being transgender. What a moment. #FridayNightLive #TruthAndDare pic.twitter.com/3o34Dl2es1— Channel 4 (@Channel4) October 21, 2022
Many anti-trans Twitter users have been calling for the arrest of the comedian online, in comments full of misgendering.
They were joined by Baroness Nicholson, a member of the House of Lords who has spoken against same-sex marriage and is a firm supporter of LGB Alliance, who tweeted to say: “Letters going in the morning.”
It isn’t clear who she planned to write to.
Many have pointed out that the only difference between Gray and other nudity seen on TV past the watershed is that Gray is trans. Her performance went out well after the 9pm watershed, the time when nudity and other adult content is allowed on TV.
Others have named calls for Gray to be arrested for “something cis people do all the time” as “revoltingly authoritarian”, with one directly describing Baroness Nicholson’s letters.
Many praised the performance and Gray’s nudity, with one writing: “The most radical thing a trans person can do is be proud of who they are and their body”.
The transphobes want Jordan Gray arrested for something cis ppl do all the time.
Baroness Nicholson once again using her position to try to lean on the police as she has done before.
Hopefully it won't make any difference but my god… What a revoltingly authoritarian bigot. pic.twitter.com/mrC87RBkci— ??Vivian Were-Wulf?? (@MxVivianWulf) October 23, 2022
Jordan Gray’s amazing comedy song and the response to it proving the most radical thing a trans person can do is be proud of who they are and their body and not giving in to transphobic narratives. Absolutely brilliant. Bravo @Talldarkfriend— Rose Schmits, Trans Kiln Witch™ (@RoseSchmits) October 24, 2022
Actor Jason Isaacs even called the performance “more dignified than parliament today.”
#JordanGray just stripped naked mid-song on #FridayNightLive to show off her magnificent boobs and equally magnificent member, with which she played the keyboard as she brought her set to a close and the entire house down. So much more dignified than parliament today.#Jordan4PM
— Jason Isaacs (@jasonsfolly) October 21, 2022
Channel 4 defended Jordan Gray’s performance, telling PinkNews: “This Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated routine was part of a live comedy variety show featuring a broad range of acts. It was broadcast after the watershed with appropriate warnings, including for adult content.”
The broadcaster aired the one-off return special of the Friday Night Live on Friday (21 October) as part of the channel’s 40th anniversary celebrations. The special was hosted by comedian Ben Elton and welcomed veterans and rising stars of the comedy world to the stage.
