Julie proves TV has the power to bring about real change

The transgender debate that has gripped the UK is a complex and emotive one. Hardly a day goes by without a Twitter spat erupting across the gender divide, often ending with accusations of prejudice.

You are just as likely to hear these conversations in hairdressers and pubs, as you are on social media.

But 22 years ago, when actress Julie Hesmondhalgh first took on the role of Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, it’s fair to say transgender rights were low on most folk’s radar.

Playing soap’s first transgender character could have been tricky to navigate but Julie’s warm portrayal of Hayley won her a legion of fans.

It also brought the issue of transgender discrimination into the mainstream and, since leaving Corrie in 2014, Julie has continued to choose parts which challenge stereotypes.

In this week’s big interview (pages 6&7), Julie tells us: “I like it when my job involves roles where the writer has something to say about the world.”

Not conventionally good looking (her words, not ours), Julie was once told that she would find it difficult to land parts before she reached middle-age because she was a “character actor”.

I am not wishing to compare Julie’s experiences with that of the transgender community, but it reminded me that prejudice comes in many forms. Julie shows us that TV is not simply for entertainment; it can also bring about real change.

But as she rightly points out – kindness and empathy are our best weapons when it comes to fighting the good fight.