We’re just so proud of him, says Kinnock as grandchild swaps gender
ONE of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock’s grandchildren has announced he has changed gender.
Milo Kinnock, who was born as Camilla, revealed the news on Danish television.
The 22-year-old, whose parents are Labour MP Stephen Kinnock and the former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, told the DR1 channel: ‘It just felt just right to me… and it has really given me a lot of freedom.
‘I am so lucky to have a lot of friends, a partner and my family who support me and have always backed me up on everything.’
Lord Kinnock, 79, who led the Labour Party for nine years before working for the European Commission, last night spoke of his pride in his grandchild’s decision.
He told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Milo is a beloved grandchild with a great personality and strong, mature judgment. We’re a very close family who cherish him and wish him all the best.’
The peer’s son Stephen, 52, who is the Shadow Immigration Minister, said: ‘Helle and I are very proud of the way in which Milo has spoken out about being non-binary and using the pronoun he/him. It takes real courage to go on the journey that Milo’s been on, and by talking about it so publicly he’s helped many others who are having simiHelle’s lar experiences to discuss it more openly with their families and friends.’
A family friend said that Milo – who gave the MoS his approval to use the family snap on the right – had privately discussed his gender ‘many times’ with his relatives but took the decision to go public over Christmas.
‘Milo was out as gay a long time ago and had a first gay
‘It takes real courage to talk about it so publicly’
relationship when he was around 15 or 16,’ said the friend.
‘That was the first round of conversations when Milo told his immediate family about his sexuality.
‘Then a little bit further down the track, he said, “I want to change my name from Camilla to Milo.” Then a little bit further down the track again, he said, “I’d like to use the pronouns he/him.” By the time the family got to the he/him thing, they’d already been on quite the journey.
‘After that they sat down with mother, who is in her 80s, and with Neil, whose reaction was, “Oh, OK, I need to take this away and think about it for a while.” But at the end of the day, Neil knows that Milo is a very strong person with good judgment so he is on board. He’s a very loving grandad who’s proud of what Milo is doing.’
Writing on social media, Milo, who has a sister named Johanna, told his 2,300 followers: ‘It’s been so great to hear from people about how the interview helped them to speak with their parents and grandparents about pronouns, gender and the patriarchy – something they’d never done before. It’s clear that people want to change and help the queers around them, but even so there’s still a long way to go. Trans and non-binary folks are still being discriminated against, and queer people of colour are particularly marginalised and disadvantaged. I’m grateful that I’m able to speak up – especially on mainstream television.
‘Very few have that privilege, and I’m ready to join the fight.’