Frankie Boyle comes out swinging for trans rights and we love to see it

Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle has stunned and delighted fans by coming out swinging for trans rights.

The comedian, who has no real history of either supporting or making offensive jokes about the transgender community, made the comments on Twitter on January 30.

“Some people are so marginalised they have to create the language that describes their oppression, but the real victim is me, who has to learn a new word every 6 months,” Boyle said.

One person wrote in response to the tweet, which has been liked more than 10,000 times: “Challenge for you Frankie and those reading this. Name all 72 genders people want recognised (without googling it).”

Boyle’s put-down of this transphobia masquerading as a reasonable question (one of the more pernicious guises used by transphobes) was swift, firm, and irrefutably called the questioner’s bullshit out.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I have zero interest in whatever transphobic neuroses you fill your days with,” the comedian replied.

“I have no time for anyone denying anyone else their freedom to live the life they need to live. Gtf.”

https://twitter.com/frankieboyle/status/1222854895931469827?s=20

Trans Twitter has been quick to hail the latest defender of trans rights, with a writer known as Not Cursed E simply saying: “Yaaaaasssss queeeeen slaaaaay!”

“Frankie Boyle continues to prove why he’s my favourite comedian,” another user added.

Many made fun of the original questioner’s “joke” about the number of genders available – recognising that this joke is commonly used by transphobes to suggest that trans people are somehow taking over, with an agenda and a mafia ready to go.

“Name all 72 ‘people pushing for this to be recognised’,” one person said.

Another person, whose tiredness levels are off the charts, wrote: “Everytime someone makes this joke, we add 10 genders.”

https://twitter.com/Ph0e92/status/1222827492139991040?s=20

https://twitter.com/McDodley/status/1222826845856509952?s=20

Boyle, who is known for making controversial jokes but not for being offensive about minorities, unlike plenty of other male comedians, was described, in 2015, as “one of the best men in the world”.

The Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan made the comments in an interview about her own work.

“I love Frankie Boyle,” Ryan said. “He says inflammatory things for the joke but he’s an equal-opportunities offender.

“Frankie Boyle more and more is on the right side of morality, he’s absolutely a philanthropist and a feminist. He’s one of the best men in the world.”