Trisha Goddard says being mum to a non-binary child has been a 'learning process'
Trisha Goddard has spoken candidly about how she had to "wrap my head around" having a child who is non-binary, learning to use more inclusive language.
The TV presenter, 64, known for her morning talk show Trisha, has two children from a previous marriage, Billie, 32, and Madi, 28, who is non-binary.
This is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn't align with 'man' or 'woman' and generally prefer they/them pronouns, or use a combination.
Appearing on Kaye Adams' podcast How to Be 60, Goddard said it has been a "learning process" for her, as well as her eldest, to make adjustments to their language to ensure Madi's gender identity is understood and referred to correctly.
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"I could understand gay, I could understand I had a daughter, a queer daughter as they call it now.
"I really didn't care. Then I had to learn the, 'I don't feel male, I don't feel female' kind of thing. I had to wrap my head around it.
"I'm lucky in that I've done this journey with Billie, who kind of straddles the generations if you like."
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Goddard added, "It's difficult. I've said to Madi, 'I don't give a shit what you are. I don't care who you do it with, what you do, who you identify with.
"You are my baby, you are Madi. And I will always talk to you, and address you, as Madi, what you want to be called, I'll do my best. I'll probably slip up. That's it."
As a doting mother, she also described Madi as "gifted" academically, laughing while unable to recall how many degrees they have now.
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Adams also chimed in, saying that in "overly simplistic terms" she finds people of the two women's generation in "two broad camps", those who "reject all of that newness" and "reject the future", and then the other camp that "doesn't fight the future", seeing herself in the later.
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Commenting on those who are part of the first group, Goddard suggests, "It's fear...
"It's fear of loss of control and power. And it tends to be older, white middle-aged men, who have traditionally had the power for centuries and centuries and centuries.
"And I'm not saying it's all along male and female lines. But as a mother, you're constantly having to accept the next thing.
"You've got to be fluid to be a parent and a parent that's close to children."
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She added, "I'd also say, Once upon a time, there were people who were vehemently against the abolition of slavery, or women getting the vote… if the term 'woke' [alert to injustice, discrimination or oppression] had been around then, it would be like 'snowflakes' [a derogatory term often used to describe younger generations], why are you bothering to think about women getting the vote, all of those things… opposed by your Piers Morgans of the day.
“That’s the way I see it; the world is going to change, and it’s changing faster and faster.
“And the next generation, yes, gender is one thing. But they’re likely to save this planet that we’ve mucked up when it comes to environment and distribution of wealth and things like that.
“I think a lot of people who’ve been used to being in power find it very difficult to say, ‘You know what, I probably don’t know everything about everything. And I probably haven’t made the best job of everything.' So let me just sit back and listen to what the incoming crowd have to say, because they just might have some really good ideas.”
