The BBC Was Forced To Cut A Lesbian Kiss Out Of Doctor Who For Asian Countries

Until five years ago the BBC even had to pixelate Nigella Lawson’s cleavage

DrWho

by Fiona Byrne |
Published on

LGBTQ groups in Asia are extremely pissed off because a same-sex kiss was cut from the season premiere of *Doctor Who *in the region over the weekend, saying the exclusion is outrageous.

The kiss, between lizard-woman Madame Vastra and her human wife Jenny Flint, was cut for airing throughout all of Asia, despite some more liberal countries in the area being a bit more relaxed about broadcasting gay kisses and stuff.

You see, the BBC has to make one cut and because of this, they adhere to the strictest censorship rules in the region, where countries like Malaysia don’t like to show anything considered sexual on TV. Until five years ago, the BBC had to pixelate Nigella Lawson’s cleavage. If it wasn’t so insane, it would be funny.

Betty Grisoni, co-founder of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisation Les Peches said: ‘This obvious case of censorship is outrageous and viewers in Asia have been left out of the buzz created by the kiss among Doctor Who fans around the world. Including LGBT couples in a TV programme is becoming incredibly popular even in Asia, which is in itself a good thing. However, these couples need to be portrayed as equally as heterosexual couples would, public display of affection included. This is not about tolerance, it is about equality. The storyline of the show has included this lesbian couple for over three years now without any censorship and the only time that they show a physical sign of affection, which is already outrageous in itself, it is censored.’

Chairmain of the Pink Alliance, John Erni, said kisses between same-sex and opposite-sex couples should be treated the same way, saying that cutting the lesbian kiss was unfair and scandalous.

The rules on sexual content have become a little more relaxed in recent years, with a representative for the BBC saying they haven’t pixelated Nigella’s bosom for over five years now.

All media in conservative Asian countries is tightly monitered by governments. The sale of Archie comics in Singapore was recently bannedbecause it includes a gay married couple.

Picture: Getty

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.

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