A heartwarming story about Buffy’s Anthony Stewart Head going out of his way for a young trans fan
Anthony Stewart-Head with a young trans fan, Jay Hulme. (Jay Hulme/Twitter)
Buffy actor Anthony Stewart Head quietly went above and beyond for a young trans fan.
Stewart Head, who played Buffy’s watcher Giles in the cult series, reportedly reached out a young fan after he came out as trans in 2015.
He’d heard that Jay Hulme, a poet, was “having a hard time” after coming out.
Hulme was also “kind of sad” that all the photos he’d taken with the actor at fan conventions were signed to his dead name, and showed him with long hair and no chest binder.
“Anthony and his wonderful wife Sarah reached out and invited me to come to their farm for the day,” Hulme wrote in a Twitter thread.
I’m aware people are sharing the “Giles was nice to a trans guy” story again, and yes, many people who tagged me, it is me. Back in January 2015 when I came out as Trans Anthony Head and his wonderful wife Sarah reached out and invited me to come to their farm for the day.
— Jay Hulme (@JayHulmePoet) September 22, 2019
“They spent the day with me, took me to the fanciest restaurant I’d ever been to in my life, introduced me to their horses, took lovely photos, and printed and signed them, and even gave me tips for an essay I was writing on Shakespeare for school.
“Most importantly, however, they gave me what I had been lacking in my life up until that point – affirmation, compassion, and belief in my abilities.”
After their meeting, Hulme remained in touch with Stewart Head and his wife. The actor wrote the foreword for Hulme’s first self-published poetry book, who in turn paid his own tribute to the actor.
“The eagle-eyed nerds among you may have noticed that my middle name is Anthony – a reminder I gave to myself right at the beginning – a reminder to be for others what he, and Sarah, were to me. A light of hope,” he wrote.
“They laid very small foundation stones, at a very important age (18), giving me the ability to grow and change, and build the life I have now. One where I write and teach and speak and try to help everyone build a better world for the future.”
Hulme first shared his story in September 2019, but it has resurfaced in the wake of the backlash currently being levelled at J.K. Rowling.
If fantasy fans are sad that JK Rowling is a bigot, just remember that Giles (AKA Anthony Stewart Head) has the biggest heart in the world and he will always stand with trans kids. ??? pic.twitter.com/YcOFTl5M9z
— Sarah_Woolley (@Sarah_Woolley) December 19, 2019
The Harry Potter author has been accused of transphobia after she tweeted in support of Maya Forstater, who lost a test case which sought to protect “gender-critical” anti-trans views under the Equality Act 2010.
An employment tribunal heard how Fortstater’s contract at a think tank was not renewed after she tweeted remarks such as: “Men cannot change into women.”
Judge James Tayler said her position that “even if a trans woman has a Gender Recognition Certificate, she cannot honestly describe herself as a woman… is not worthy of respect in a democratic society.”
He added: “The Claimant largely ignores intersex conditions and the fact that biological opinion is increasingly moving away from a absolutist approach.”
Following the ruling, Rowling tweeted: “Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?”
She ended with the hashtags: “#IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill.”
Fans, celebrities and LGBT+ groups have attacked Rowling’s stance. Representatives for the author have so far declined to comment when asked by PinkNews.
