Hollyoaks has introduced a poignant storyline centering on 13-year-old Ro Hutchinson, who begins socially transitioning amid a backdrop of transphobic bullying and mental health struggles. Ro's parents are supportive, but his mental health crisis leads him to seek help from an LGBTQ+ helpline. The narrative, reflecting real-life challenges faced by trans youth, was developed in partnership with major LGBTQ+ support organizations. As Ro navigates these difficulties, the show aims to highlight both the individual and societal issues faced by transgender individuals, particularly in the context of current societal attitudes.
"I think there's something extraordinary for to be really situating Ro in the real world. This character is feeling the pressure of headlines on the papers day after day saying anti-trans slogans."
"It would be reductive to suggest that Ro reaches this point because of purely the bullying because it is a generally hostile world for trans people at the moment and so much of that has been aimed at trans young people."
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