PFC and Coronation Street: One year on
Hayley Patterson & Alma Baldwin, January 1998 |
Cast your minds back to January 1998, and to the news we received from a PFC member, forwarded by Stephen Whittle on Friday January 16th. The reason?
The Daily Express - January 16th, 1998
“In a fortnight’s time, viewers will be introduced to Hayley Patterson, a clerk at Firmans. Hayley, who is excruciatingly timid, has the darkest of secrets-She is transsexual, born a man and now awaiting surgery to become a woman.
By any standards of pre-watershed TV drama, she is the first transsexual to appear in a British soap.
Julie, who is 28 next month, admits:
“When I was told the whole story I had some reservation, I’d not be my first choice for the part. For a start I’m short and pear shaped. I’ve got narrow shoulders, a bust, and a bottom, in other words I’m shaped like a woman. I’m meant to look like someone trying too hard and just missing the mark.”
The forwarded posting was:
“Has anyone read the Express Jan 16th 98?
It appears we are going to see a trans person. It is to be played by an actress. Not a trans-person.
She is going to wear a wig, a polo jumper to hide her neck, to hide her hands, and also it states keep her head down so she does not have to come into eye contact with people. To top it all, she is going to go out with the wimp Roy. What does this say about us.
At the moment I feel very happy that we have been recognised but then, I was never someone such as they are going to portray, and I think we should have some input. It would appear the only input so far is the actress going to a bookshop and asking for any books on transsexual.
Is this not something we can become involved with?”
After the initial statement came the worries. It wasn’t a good start. Even the press release had put forward some alarming stereotypes. Discussions started up on the PFC Forum, and the other mailing list (TGFolk-UK). Unfortunately, however, for the sake of privacy, we cannot reprint any comments from that list. But the arguments were largely the same
“Will she occasionally break into a chorus of ’I am what I am’ and do a drag act at the Rovers Return? Of course we all know how she will be written out when she becomes boring after a few weeks.
I reckon an overdose. The soaps haven’t had one of those for a while.”
Some could perhaps see the flak to come and wrote:
“My own view, for what it’s worth, is that we might do well *not* to get up in arms with Granada but rather let our PFC media experts write on behalf of us all welcoming the news that a TS woman is to be portrayed in a realistic way and offering our expertise to ensure verisimilitude”
The press meanwhile were having a minor field day. Brian Park, the producer of Coronation Street had already come in for some serious flak after sacking a few regulars and introducing initially unpopular characters. This seemed to be the last straw for some. The Guardian wrote:
“Hayley Patterson will be introduced to the Weatherfield faithful in a fortnight. A lowly clerk with Firman’s Freezers she will test the values of the Street’s rather conservative audience to breaking point.
Hayley will be played by little known actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, aged 27, whose previous experience includes bit parts in The Bill and a mini-series.
With a commitment bordering the de Niroesque, Hesmondhalgh immersed herself in books about transsexuals before taking on the part.”
(There is more detail about the story behind the character and the actress on the article written by the PFC advisor to Coronation Street.)
For some on the Forum, however, the news, which had only amounted so far to a few paragraphs in newspapers was already beyond the pale.
“It has been said on the forum recently, we do not see a white person acting the role of a coloured person. For goodness sake the Race Relations would be on to that in no time. It could be argued the same with a trans person.
“If there was ever a time for us to act, it is now. Not when the program has been aired but now. It has taken me 30 years to know what I am, now some little upstart actress is going to sum me up afterreading a few books of maybe drama queens.”
PFC had not been silent on the subject and had quickly risen to the challenge.
“This afternoon I got a call from a very chastened-sounding researcher, Nick West .. very eager to talk to me about the portrayal of a trans woman in the story line that’s currently in production for Coronation Street. He was concerned about the way that the story had been interpreted by the Daily Express .. hurt even, to judge from his words.
For now, however, I would like to suggest that we show our control and maturity as an organisation by backing off en-masse just as effectively as we engaged them.
By doing this now we demonstrate goodwill and trust in what we’ve been assured.
This isn’t to say, of course, that we don’t have a contingency up our sleeve if the assurances were to prove to have been false. Right now, however, it’s time to gracefully award some trust.”
– Christine Burns
Contact had been made. (No X-Files jokes please…:)))
“Today I have spoken with Nick West, Researcher for Corrie. He told me that the research he had done was:
1. Contacted Charing X and spoke to someone there.
2. Read two books.He did say he had spoken with Christine and I had the impression that he is going to continue speaking with you Chris.”
Another wrote:
“Once something like this Coronation Street issue has been taken on, it is best to act as a united front, otherwise everyone is pulling a rope in different directions, confusing the issue. I am sure Christine will let us know if/when our individual action is needed on this one.”
And so, with the debate rumbling on the forums, the first episode went to air on January the 26th. Far from quieting the critics, it only stirred up more disquiet.
“I just saw “Hayley Patterson” in her first appearance at Firman’s Freezers in Coronation Street. Sent shivers down my spine, and I feel anxious … anybody else have a similar reaction? Too close to home, perhaps? Too far from home perhaps?”
“The character is just about no more real or unreal than any of the others in the program. Yes she does appear very wet but I suppose some people would feel they wanted to protect her so perhaps its not a bad thing. I will wait and see but so far not too bad as long as she improves and ultimately gets her act together. Looking forward to Friday’s episode.”
“I for one have been seething over Coronation Street. I think Mavis is back. Is that really what others are like? Am I so unusual. I live in dread of Friday. I thought that most people were assertive, strong individuals who can cope. This girl is a wimp. Is this what they got from Charing X and from the books? God help us.”
“On the positive side, I can see what they are TRYING to do. Hayley may not be real, but the reason she’s *not* owes more (I suspect) to the producers’ attempts to invoke sympathy for the character, than any other motive. Their mistake lies in thinking they need to go over the top in this way to OBTAIN that audience sympathy.”
“I’m not too unhappy. How many of us were brimming with confidence when we first went “live”? Some lucky ones no doubt, but I wasn’t one of them, I felt very awkward and self-conscious at first.
If Hayley *stays* like this then I will worry, however I would expect the character to develop, she has a golden opportunity to be seen to grow in confidence.”
There was also an amusing last word on Hayley’s introduction:
“So far I think that Hayley is coming across as a shy lesbian with the hots for Alma!”
It would probably have continued if it were not for the appearance of the DfEE Consultation paper, the contents of which diverted our attentions, and rightly so, to more pressing matters.
Nothing was heard of our Hayley in the Forum during February, allowing us all to get used to seeing her around and actually, dare I say, LIKING the girl a bit?
Then she dropped the bombshell to Roy Cropper about her transsexuality.
“Last night, Hayley Patterson, wonderfully played by Julie Hesmondhalgh revealed her secret: “I am not a female by birth, Roy, but by choice.”
… And that is what I suspect this plot is all about. It’s Roy’s story: how he’ll react to discovering the first person he could really relate to was not what he’d they were at all, whether he’ll ever trust his own feelings again.
No doubt it will all be beautifully done, but ultimately, it’s a question of whether it should have been done at all. A show as beloved as Coronation Street surely doesn’t need such shock tactics. Ena Sharples will be spinning in her grave.”
– Margaret Forwood, Express Magazine
Our long time friend Mr Gary Bushell commented on this with a particularly transphobic piece in the Sun newspaper. Given his past record, we shouldn’t have been shocked really, but the venom took us all a bit by surprise.
“Isn’t this the dumbest Street storyline ever? Producer Brian Park clearly doesn’t realise that our senior soap’s great strength has always been its depiction of normal people and universal truths.
(It makes more sense to see the plot in the context of TV’s - and Hollywood’s - constant desire to normalise deviants. Transvestites are always portrayed as witty glamorous creatures, never sad gits suffering from arrested emotional development….)”
Of course we wrote and of course nothing happened.
Some of the public found the “Cafe Scene” just too much to stomach and made complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Commission.
“Ten viewers complained to the Independent Television Commission, saying it should not have been shown during family viewing time. The ITC said the issue had been handled with tact and “great sensitivity”. It rejected the complaints that the scene crossed the boundaries of taste and decency.”
Hardly surprising really. Ten complaints out of 17 million viewers?
OUR major complaint was the fact that she’d said “a woman by choice”!
The story continued through March, and we were silent! Was it boredom, acceptance or maybe a realisation that Hayley was, in fact, making some absolutely amazing steps in bringing our message to a huge audience sympathetically, if not entirely accurately. She got back with Roy and then decided to go for surgery.
So, come the start of April, she left and disappeared off into the sunset. Many of us, I’m sure, even reluctantly, had to admit that Hayley’s story with Roy had been immensely valuable in showing the wider public a glimpse of transsexual life. The public had little trouble with it all. They had taken to Hayley quite quickly, and from that point on it was simply a desire to see Roy and Hayley happy that had “sweetened the pill”. They were sitting watching a little romance and all the while being gently educated about some of the problems we face. Hayley was a hit! Meanwhile, at the end of March deeper contacts were being made between PFC and Granada…
As is told in the companion article to this piece, she did, of course, come back, armed with some stunning Amsterdam locations, some wonderful scripts and, most of all, a new look, greater confidence and some REAL words, courtesy of a new, regular PFC advisor.
Hayley’s reappearance into Coronation Street at the beginning of July, and the reinforcement of her love story with Roy had, by now, charmed the nation.
“Absolutely excellent, I’m crying with joy here, I can’t wait for Sunday’s Omnibus edition. And even more, I read Toni’s e-mail late last night about the FtM Teacher after coming home from the pub…
The point is, everyone is beginning to open up about the problems of transsexual people… the other point is…. we must never stop campaigning until the job is done…!”
There was still the odd inaccuracy, however, something it’s almost impossible to entirely weed out.
“I’m delighted that there is some TS input into Corrie - but why oh why did they send Hayley to Amsterdam to have surgery - hardly correct - and what about the passport problem - surely they should know that passport could be changed pre-op?
I’ve spent some having to explain things to friends who wondered if my partner, who is MTF TS, had the same problems and also trying to tell them why she couldn’t have her op in Holland.”
After finding her feet once more in Weatherfield, Hayley walked in the park with Roy and they exchanged British soap’s first transsexual kiss.
The kiss |
Christine Burns was moved to write:
“This week, of course, the couple finally kissed .. and a collective twelve million strong “Ahhhhhh … ” went out across the land. I doubt if I was alone in shedding a little tear at the event.
Much to the consternation of the critics, this is one conformance-busting match which the public definitely seem to have taken a shine to … which is nice to know since, behind the scenes over the last few months, Press for Change have had more than a little bit of influence in the development of the “new” Hayley.
Those words she speaks are words she has been given by a real trans woman, whose identity will be our little secret. That past, which Hayley is starting to give glimpses of, is a past written for her by someone we introduced a few months ago to the researcher and writers.
That special insight and relationship .. coupled with the skill of the television story tellers .. has given us a tale this week which has done more for trans people’s PR than any other medium could have achieved in a lifetime. .. And it’s the first of many, as the Coronation Street writers mine the rich seam of story material which they now have at their disposal.”
Hayley was now a positive asset — a bit of a turnaround from the near-disaster predicted back in January.
“With 15 million viewers in Summer and 18 million in Winter, this is the opportunity to get the public on our side. Transsexuals may be seen as a minority by the government but 18 million people would be seen as enough to change the government.
BTW Has anybody offered Julie Hesmondhalgh membership of PFC - the time I saw her on Richard and Judy’s show she appeared supportive. Or what about asking her to be another Patron. Publicity-wise this could help promote PFC.”
This was approached cautiously. Julie was certainly supportive, but whether she’d be willing to lend her name to a campaign group (or even be allowed to do so) was another matter.
“One can hardly blame Julie not warming to the initial outcry. I thought this forum would be a relatively friendly place, so God knows what it would be like at the wrong end of a TG pressure group’s wrath!
Julie is right. Hayley is a “nice person” who elicits public sympathy etc, and hopefully this will change popular culture. But why stop at Hayley? Perhaps we should enrol the entire cast, writers, and producers to support us publicly. After all, it has played the TG card to show injustice and improve their ratings. This is the most significant benefit to Corrie.”
“Julie is the mouthpiece for the ideas of a team of scriptwriters who are thoroughly getting into their subject now .. and they’ll go on doing that so long as our issues provide them with a good source of original and engaging storylines with a human basis. The *result* of what they do has a political significance, but the way in which they do it isn’t overtly political .. and that suits us down to the ground.
Inviting Julie to be a patron is a nice gesture of recognition, of course .. though she knows full well through her contact with us that she’s recognised anyway (and she *does* know what the opposition was about in January). There is a risk, however, that the more “formal” association which goes with being a patron would then turn her part into a more obviously political one.. and that may have a damaging effect.”
– Christine Burns
The next problem was the storyline at the beginning of August in the factory, where Hayley’s past was discovered by Mike Baldwin.
“It appears that Mike Baldwin is to discover Hayley’s past this week when he finds that her tax forms are in the name of Harold.
This makes absolutely no sense. If this was the case then it would have been picked up at Firman’s (her previous employer).
This follows the debacle of the passport. Do we really expect the public to be supportive of Hayley when she doesn’t seem capable of helping herself.”
Christine countered this with a reference to a similar incident in real life. But meanwhile, the advisor was now watching the Forum, had found a voice and had explained things to Tracy.
“I have already had a reply from ’x’ who explained a bit more about the plot and I realise I had put my foot in my mouth so to speak. That’s why I had let the thread drop.
The write-up had made it sound like she hadn’t informed the inland revenue when it is in fact a clerical error by the DSS.”
The fallout from the DSS storyline had wonderful effects and the public were horrified at her treatment. Once again Hayley was the winner, albeit a bittersweet one.
But the most important things to happen in September was the progression of Roy and Hayley’s relationship. They moved in together!
Not only that, but two days later, Roy proposed to her. She explained about the birth certificate problem and wept. So did the nation. Wonderful! In a few lines, she had communicated facts we had spent ages trying to convey. The NEXT day, they went to bed together for the first time. The impact was not lost on the PFC Forum.
“Well, I hope you all watched it tonight. Hayley could do for us in a short time what we have been fighting for for years. Lets hope so, anyway… and what a significant piece of music to have in the background!!! :) “
(The music was “Natural Woman” by Janis Joplin!!!)
Hayley’s popularity was at its peak.
The secret is out … |
And what do soaps do to popular stars? Give them a tragedy! This time it was the turn not only of the factory boss, but her new friends, the factory girls and the entire Street to learn Hayley’s secret, as she outed herself under pressure from Mike Baldwin. This came as a surprise to the advisor as well as the public.
It drew some criticism from members on the way it was done, which, again, seemed to be taken on board.
In the real world however, Coronation Street was being praised in high places, as a House of Commons Early Day Motion was tabled.
“Portrayal of ’Hayley’ in Coronation Street
That this House congratulates the scriptwriters, actors and producers of Coronation Street for their sensitive and realistic portrayal of Hayley, a transsexual woman; is particularly pleased that Granada consulted members of groups representing transsexuals about the day to day problems faced by people who are suffering from, or have undergone treatment for, gender dysphoria; notes the surprising, but satisfying, lack of media hysteria about the Hayley character; gives special regard to Julie Hesmondhalgh, the actress playing Hayley, who has made so much effort to find out about what it is to be transsexual; and hopes that the Government will soon see fit to guarantee transsexual people full civil rights, including the right to correct birth certificates and enter into marriage, so that Hayley and Roy will, like any other couple, be entitled to make a State-recognised, lifelong commitment to one another if they so wish.”
25 MPs signed the motion before it closed at the beginning of November.
Julie Hesmondhalgh was also discovering the carelessness of the press, as the Sunday Mirror printed an almost entirely fictitious article about her.
“THE plight of Coronation Street’s Hayley Patterson has prompted MPs to call for equal rights for trans-sexuals. Ten MPs have tabled a House of Commons motion, urging ministers to give trans-sexuals full civil rights, including being allowed to marry.
And yesterday Julie Hesmondhalgh, the actress who plays Hayley in the series, told the Sunday Mirror that she is backing the campaign. She said: “I support the MPs who are behind this motion and I’m delighted Coronation Street has been able to put the spotlight on the plight of transsexuals.”
Julie said: “She is a man trapped in a woman’s body and the storyline has followed the traumas that that situation brings about. I hope Hayley’s story will help improve the civil rights which transsexuals are now fighting for. It’s amazing how sympathetic the viewers have been to Hayley’s plight.”
Julie met transsexuals during her research for the Coronation Street role and heard of the problems they face in everyday life. Under the present law transsexuals are not allowed to wed because they are legally defined by the sex they were born. A change of sexual classification on birth certificates is not allowed.So that a man who has undergone surgery to become a woman cannot marry a female because, in the eyes of the law, it would be an illegal marriage between people of the same sex.
Now five Labour MPs and five Liberal Democrat MPs have joined forces to argue their case. Labour MP Lynne Jones, who has campaigned on behalf of transsexuals for 10 years, said: “Hopefully this will lead to a change in the law. Then Hayley and Roy will, like any other couple be entitled to make a State-recognised, lifelong commitment to one another if they so wish.”
Julie’s sympathetic portrayal of a trans-sexual has attracted scores of grateful letters from transsexuals and cross-dressers. She said: “It’s a difficult character to play. But when I did my research I went to see a number of transsexuals to see how they lived.
“Sometimes it was very sad because sometimes they are marginalised by society. “But I hope my part is bringing the issues out into the open.”
A statement was released by Julie and the advisor.
“In last weekend’s Sunday Mirror, an article was printed which reported the Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, commending Granada Television, the PFC advisor, and Julie Hesmondhalgh on the portrayal of Hayley Patterson. They also gave a serious of quotes and statements purported to be directly from Julie herself, in “exclusive” conversation with the Sunday Mirror.
This was, unfortunately, complete rubbish. She neither spoke to them then, nor ever, at any time, gave them some of the wildly inaccurate statements attributed to her. To say she was cross would be an understatement. So let’s set the story straight.
Julie IS delighted and fully supportive of the Early Day Motion and hopes very much that it can go some way towards helping the UK legal situation. She did not meet any transsexuals prior to commencing her role, due to the high level of secrecy surrounding the part. She did, however, read a few books, including Jan Morris’ “Conundrum”, and wrote to the author. Since Hayley became a regular Weatherfield resident, however, she has met a number of transgendered people who have helped her, and is, of course, in regular contact with the Press For Change advisor to the show.
Despite not having “scores of grateful letters from transsexuals and cross-dressers(!)”, Julie has had some very supportive letters indeed, and is always delighted to receive them. This is in addition to the regular fan mail she now receives due to her universal popularity.
When told of this article, of the inaccuracies within, and of her name being used as a source, she was outraged, and is allowing this statement to be made in order to redress the balance. She is too well-informed to have made such glaring errors.”
– The PFC Coronation Street Advisor
December came and Julie agreed to become a Press for Change patron, she also gave an interview to the Beaumont Magazine and to the internet Coronation Street fans. The storylines also relaxed somewhat, letting the two actors have some time being people again, rather than issues.
Since then of course, she and Roy have been married in a blessing service conducted by a female vicar, in the cafe, and the Croppers now enjoy a relatively peaceful existance.
I hope it’s been fun to go back into the recent past and remember our emotions as the story, and it’s repercussions, played as the soundtrack to 1998.
Before January 1998, there was NO Hayley Cropper. Feels funny doesn’t it?
The course of a soap character’s life is never easy however. It thrives on discord, intrigue and, of course, happiness. You can guarantee that her time on the Street will be no different for the “Roy-al Couple” (as they’ve been dubbed by the Corrie fans). This one will run and run.
All photos © Granada Television 1998
