Activists have launched a petition asking Loose Women panel to apologise for controversial comments

Last week The ITV show held a discussion on trans issues. During the discussion, panellist Nadia Sawalha labelled trans issues a “passing fad.”

“Last year my step daughter told me the ‘in’ thing at school was self-harming, and then before that it had been throwing up. You know, fashionable words that have been taken on,” she said.

“The other day, [my children] were playing, and we actually heard from the other room, ‘which one of us is going to be transgender?’ Can you imagine that even a year ago?” she added.

EastEnders’ first transgender cast member Riley Carter tweeted:

Disgusting. Not happy https://t.co/IaDZUE9qMh

— Riley Carter (@MrRileyCarter1) November 27, 2015

ITV has not apologised for the comments, leading to an online petition being launched demanding one.

The petition – “Make Loose Women Apologise For Transphobic Comments” – states:

“Loose Women are constantly expressing uneducated, narrow-minded views such as these ones. I think it’s finally time that they should take some accountability, and apologise on the show for their comments. Furthermore, I think it is important that, before discussing such topics, panellists receive compulsory training about gender and sexuality.”

“For transgender people watching the show, hearing this topic being discussed in such a negative way has the potential to be incredibly emotionally and mentally damaging,” it adds.