Reacting to my old video about casting a woman as the Doctor

[@thetalisman7722]

This is the Council of Geeks equivalent of "Twice Upon a Time" "No you can't say things like that"

[@k.stewart007]

I was thinking that.

[@8LiterallyJustTheNumber8]

Lmao great comment

[@carpelibrarium8522]

"Says who?" "Everybody you're going to meet from now on."

[@patrickgillespie5506]

😂

[@lukecarlson4710]

I thought the same thing.

[@anthonymorgan5822]

“We all change. When you think about it we are all different people, all through our lives. And that’s GOOD, you’ve got to keep moving. As long as you remember all the people that you used to be.”

[@andrewbowman4611]

That sinking feeling you get when you realise you used to talk utter bollocks sometimes. It's almost palpable, frankly. Perhaps worryingly, I've seen a lot of these arguments rehashed time and again on social media over the years. It's good to see you addressing these points from a more worldy-wise viewpoint. Most welcome.

[@euansmith3699]

"That sinking feeling you get when you realise you used to talk utter bollocks sometimes." I still get that all the time.

[@andrewbowman4611]

@@euansmith3699 Take it from me, it doesn't go away. In the process of getting older, you'll talk more and more bollocks along the way!

[@MsWickedWolf]

"You stupid, stupid Summer Child" - Vera Wylde 2021

[@richardgale4827]

See, here's why we've gotta cut people some slack: we deserve the latitude to change our minds, to work through the philosophy of a point and arrive at a new destination. Life is a learning curve.

[@MakeVarahHappen]

Old You really went "there's a lot of bad societal expectations on women... so we shouldn't try to fight against them with good representation."

[@friendlyotaku9525]

tbh I used to be very sceptical about it myself and looking back I don't know what I was thinking. OF COURSE the Doctor can be a woman, and the Doctor has become a woman and Jodie has been absolutely brilliant. I feel dumb looking back on my past self. So don't worry, you aren't alone! We all do and say things we regret.

[@nico2605]

I personally am not a big fan of 13 but that has nothing to do with her gender. Before she was revealed I was very much in the camp of "it can't be a woman" which I dropped very soon afterwards because I checked out Jodie's acting lol. I don't even know why I felt that way in the first place. Especially because Missy was my favorite Master. Sometimes we're just stubborn, I guess

[@hotdog1214]

Hindsight is a lovely thing I guess. I too, when she was announced was "What? They've made the Doctor a woman, that's stupid!" 😠, not from a sexist pov (I am a woman myself) but more of a fan stuck in their ways perspective. All that was blown out of the water as soon as I watched TWWFTE. In a matter of moments I was like, "hey this is ok actually, I don't know what all the fuss was about" *shrug*. Maybe it was the whipping up of the fandom (the not so nice parts) or just that change is hard to take, I don't know, but its really not a thing for me anymore and I kinda like that it now means we have an even more open casting opportunity for future Doctors.

[@OverlyPositiveFanboy]

I never had this reaction, but then again, I've never gone through a "new Doctor bad" phase, so that might play into it.

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

There's a saying in Germany*: "The human skull is round so that your thinking can change directions." I think it was wonderful of you to do this, when oh so many other youtubers act as if the sentences "I was wrong." or "I've changed my mind." have the power to painfully dismember and combust the person speaking them. I've abandoned creators I used to cherish greatly because of their stubborn refusal to ever admit fault, unless it is in the most weaselly self-excusing, hemming-and-hawing, Well- actuallying way, and even that they managed only once in a blue moon. In the immortal words of Sgt. Roger Murtaugh: "I'm too old for this shit!" * Edited to add: that saying is apparently a quote by French painter Francis Picabia, so credit where credit is due. I've been hearing it all my life and never knew where it came from!

[@stephjovi]

Really? Austrian here. I've never heard that. Der Kopf ist rund damit man sein Denken ändern kann? Totally agree with your opinion

[@AlexJones-ue1ll]

Das Sprichwort hab ich noch nie gehört. Muss was regionales sein. But looking back on past self and questioning past held dogmas is an actual valuable thing to do. "Why did I think that; where was I coming from?" is a powerful thing to go back to.

[@bacul165]

quote by French painter Francis Picabia, 1922

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

@@bacul165 Oh, I didn't know that! I've been hearing it in my extended family and at school etc. since I was a child. Will amend my comment accordingly, thank you!

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

@@stephjovi "Der Kopf ist rund damit das Denken die Richtung ändern kann." Habe ich von Kindesbeinen an immer wieder gehört und heute hier in den Kommentaren gelernt, dass der Spruch von einem französischen Maler namens Francis Picabia geprägt wurde. Lustig, weil mein früheres Umfeld jetzt so garnichts mit Kunst am Hut hatte...

[@carpelibrarium8522]

When I first saw that video I didn't get past the "If The Doctor was gonna change they would have before now" argument. My thought was, "So, because the contemporary, societal, gender politics during casting and filming preceding series of the show meant the writers and showrunners never gave more than a passing thought to have The Doctor regenerate into a femme-presenting body, we're stuck with masc-presenting Doctor for the rest of time? Well that's bullshirt." Or something like that.

[@frankbruder3097]

I just now realised that immediately before regenerating as a woman the Doctor came from an encounter with a past self in which he was shocked by his misogyny. Based on the assumption that it is a conscious decision, we can speculate that: this encounter led him to the realisation that he has only kept regenerating as a man every time because - while he has come a long way - he still hasn't had enough respect for women to feel being one would be acceptable for him. So after being reminded of how he used to be and realising that there's still a remnant of that driving his decisions, he chose to overcome that. Edit: and the moment I posted this comment another thing occurred to me: he's been travelling with a lesbian woman before regenerating into a woman. What if it's a pheromonal thing and Timelord biology adapts to optimise mating options?

[@nico2605]

I think this whole thing is just problematic because the Doctor was never a misogynist. For some reason Twice Upon A Time just thought it would be a great idea to highlight that they were. A very weird decision imo. Especially given that timelords have a very different concept of gender either way

[@edj8008]

The ting with the missogeny was a briĺliant idea.

[@PaulAndroid]

Moffat himself has heavily implied that this was his intention.

[@JoeParlock]

@@nico2605 The first thing the First Doctor does on meeting Tegan in The Five Doctors is to call her a girl and tell her to make the Fifth Doctor a drink. He's had these tendencies a lot longer than he didn't have them at this point.

[@Donnagata1409]

@@nico2605 I wouldn't say that the Doctor was never a mysogynist at all. The classic doctors were at the very least male supremacists, although put in context, not so much... Not seriously macho, but there is room for improvement there, and trying their hand as a female would be a good way.

[@spencerluther6485]

This channel has really gotten better - better filming techniques, better arguments, better genders

[@roguexxrenegade]

What does ‘better genders’ mean?

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@roguexxrenegade well, _obviously,_ it means the opposite of “worse genders”.

[@roguexxrenegade]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated All genders are equal.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@roguexxrenegade then why is it foretold in the prophecies of the ancients that girls shall rule, whilst boys shall drool? It rhymes, it _can’t_ be a lie!

[@hothemeep1219]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated is this a troll ?

[@ribonichigo]

the entire time i was watching this old video with you I was like "oh wow look at all these uncracked eggs" I feel like leaning on very rigged heteronormative gender roles is a very trans experience during the "denial" phase of realizing you're trans. Don't feel so hard on yourself, I think anyone who watched this video knowing who you are now was like "ah yes, all the signs were there." lmao

[@ooooneeee]

Thank you for having the courage to publicly face your past mistakes and debunk your own past video. Watching that livestream I winced at your embarrassment. Changing our minds is a strength. You so often embody it. ❤

[@genevievelok9496]

I have so say, every one of those “oh no, oh dear, oh jeez”s got a giggle out of me - I remember back then being so , so sad at how many people I heard and saw pushing back against the idea of branching out from the cis white male version of the Doctor, and I can’t tell you how nice it is to see people who have embraced the idea. Also - ah, the Corsair…the sexiest Doctor Who character we’ve never met in the show 😂

[@Rik77]

I must admit (sorry) I did laugh out loud when your old self said that the corsair is an exception because he was clearly hedonistic! That's a very Conservative argument.

[@ItsMeHarry]

Wish I could've seen this live but honestly this is something I really respect. So many people refuse to address the fact they no longer agree with past stuff they've said and you doing this, also live, is brilliant. People change and evolve with time, and it's clear to all of us who watch you now that you've clearly evolved a lot ❤️

[@joy7367]

she was so deep in gender denial she said if i can't be gender fluid then no one can

[@kat8559]

Remembering my own old bad takes is painful enough, so major kudos for this. Not easy to look back at your own mistakes and ensuing growth, but always satisfying to know that you have grown.

[@k.stewart007]

I'm so glad you addressed this. Most people would have just deleted it and pretend it never happened. I remember watching this when it 1st aired. And agreeing with you! I really didn't want the doctor to become a woman. I actually sulked when Jodie was cast. I bloody love Jodie now. Love that they made the change. It's ok that we've not always been open to new ideas and things moving forward. And just be plain wrong at times. As long as we can acknowledge it. As a wise man once said "Were all different people throughout our lives. And that's ok. Weve got to keep moving as long as remember all the people we used to be."

[@mikeharvey2129]

Do you mean you love Jodie Whittaker as an actor or as the Doctor?

[@k.stewart007]

Both

[@mikeharvey2129]

@@k.stewart007 Hmm. Respectfully, I disagree with the latter.

[@k.stewart007]

@@mikeharvey2129 cool

[@ChildOfTheWilderness]

The idea isn't the issue, how it is executed is often the stumbling block. Jodie isn't bad, but like Capaldi she's been let down by the writing

[@kickingroses8925]

I wish more youtubers would do this! It's so great to watch how we can look back at who we used to be and disagree with ourselves and be proud of how much we've changed and learned. It reminded me a lot of my own internalised homophobia is a teen before I came out.

[@androstempest]

I was literally crying at you heckling “the dude”. Yeah, I imagine if I had words with myself from ten years ago I might be rolling my eyes at the stuff he believed. Regarding the dr as a woman debate, I probably was in team dude at the time. I initially hated Missy and knew it was unfortunately the shape of things to come. But over time Gomez won me over, to the point that I honestly miss her. And I think because Missy became so dear to me by the end, I flipped on my “the doctor is, and should always be male” stance. Hands up i still hate chibnall’s run as show runner, but no, the Dr being a woman is not the reason why.

[@justarandomveryintelligent8934]

Looking at Jodie's run i think the problem wasn't the fact that she was female. The problem was that Chibnall chose to use THE FIRST SEASON OF A FEMALE DOCTOR as the training ground for AN ENTIRELY NEW, ROOKIE WRITER'S ROOM. If he had just left two or three seasoned writers in his room to oversee the rookies and punch up their scripts we wouldn't be where we are today. I am not the part of the toxic fandom who believes that series 11 and 12 sucked because of an overabundance of leftist politics (really there was only one episode where that was blatantly obvious). Leftist ideals have been a part of the show since it was created by a woman and a gay indian man in the 1960s. I think the problem was that Chibnall's writers room didn't have the experience necessary to tell stories with these ideals that fit smoothly and weren't preachy. Furthermore, Chibnall blatantly ignored the continuity of the show with the timeless child storyline. That all being said there are episodes in both series I enjoy. Its just the writing quality was a serious step down. I hope RTD can either restock the writer's room with more experienced writers or at least add some experiences writers to oversee the rookies. All that being said. Initially, I was hesitant about the idea of a female doctor because i did not trust the writers at the time to pay attention to the changes in dynamic and actively try to subvert expectations in new ways because the doctor is a woman. I thought they would attempt to just do the male doctor in a female body and not try to adjust to new dynamics.

[@SuperFunkmachine]

There's a school of thought that says 13 should act as a male doctor and be in a state of near ignorance of her gender. A doctor say's "Oh well i'll do it any way" and smash patriarchy by doing it anyway. This might need some on the nose gender norm patriarchal figures to mock or a companion that needs liberating. But the fundamental character of the doctor is retained despite the gender swap.

[@LaurenceGill2000]

The idea that a female Doctor would feel off if acting like a male counterpart is something I probably would have agreed with in theory before Jodie's episodes, but even as someone who hasn't liked the era much, that just hasn't played out at all. She feels entirely natural when doing the same things (unless the writing is a bit off), just ended up such a non-issue in the end. Even the NMDs just say "writing, acting bad, diversity also bad" rather than "these Doctor-y actions feel wrong in the context of a woman doing them" despite it being something often mentioned before Jodie's start on the show

[@shallendor]

I remember an episode old Classic Who, where The Doctor is told that one of his incarnations would be female! It had me intrigued, but it wasn't something that i really cared about, so i don't remember the episode! When they had Joanna Lumley become The Doctor in "The Curse of the Fatal Death", the prediction of The Doctor becoming female was remembered by me! While unofficial, Amy Dallen is my favorite female Doctor, That RPG campaign was so great with such a great cast and great GM!

[@adamdavis1648]

Which RPG campaign are you talking about? I'm intrigued and would like to watch or listen to it if possible.

[@shallendor]

@@adamdavis1648 It was on Geek and Sundry called Eric's TBD RPG, It is up on KZbin!

[@ChristyAbbey]

I'd forgotten Joanna Lumley. I do remember thinking, "I wish I could do that."

[@stephjovi]

That video gets suggested by KZbin a lot. I watched it recently. Saw your pinned comment that it was not your opinion anymore. Which was already a really good idea. With every single molecule in their body changing I never understood why genetals have to be the same again

[@jaygent2836]

It['s very bold and brave of you to revisit this - it shows a real commitment to growth and self-reflection x

[@kayleyhodson7079]

"You don't have to justify the existence of a woman." 👏👏👏

[@FistOfFiori]

12:31 , haha that reaction. It's a look of "Oh fuck I sounded like one of them!" ('them' being the "THEY'RE GOING PC AND CAVING TO SJWS!" types).

[@spoonietimelordy]

Wow, I haven't finished yet (27min in), this truly feel like you were projecting insecurities onto the doctor 😅 "if the doctor can change gender what does it say about me?" Am I wrong or am I myself protecting x) ? Edit 1min later: well you've just made the same point xD

[@mrdoctorgilmore]

Time and perspective changes us. For longest time I didn't like certain elements of Dr Who due to personal reasons making me generally miserable. Now I'm on the other side of this I know like and appreciate the likes of the 10th Doctor and New Who in general more so now than before I went through this phase.

[@zoeycampbell6734]

Thanks for your openness to engaging with this excerise, it demonstrates your growth as a person over the years, through your embrace of your authenticity and committed engagement with debates in the fandom and wider society. Though I am one of the silent majority in the audience, and this is the first time I have left a comment, you are along with Jessie Gender a creator I regularly follow. As a trans woman I found your debate with your former self, touching.

[@Bagofnowt]

That argument of 'Well there's 12 men and then a woman, that'll just make it look like pandering' implies that photos of me post-2019ish are pandering to the SJWs That's kinda funny tbh

[@MydieLy]

You touched upon something at the end there, which I think needs more highlighting. Not as to completely absolve you of the way you went about this, but you need to take into consideration not just how much you changed but also how much the world and the film world at that changed since you did this video. We've had so many examples of hero females since then. We've had so many examples of hero males who aren't all hands on action with a gun and became fan favorites. Female roles in general were expanded from the Mother-Damsel-Old Hag trias. You can only judge what you know and see done. You couldn't take the same stance of "no you need no explanation, you just do it" like you can now. That belief grew in you because you watched it being done and not just in Indie movies and series. We all were in a different place back then. Things that were marginalised before have since stepped into the light of normalcy and this broadened our spectrum of what can be done without needing a story arc to address it. See it as a window into the past and smile at thr road we've taken together since then without even noticing it. That's how change happens that's here to stay. Don't beat yourself up about your past self. It was part of a past world.

[@Quirderph]

Hard disagree. There were enough badass women on screen at the time (even *within* Doctor Who) that you could probably still get a decent idea of what a female Doctor would be like, and the people who were against it had their own personal (sometimes quite douchy) reasons for not wanting it to happen.

[@MydieLy]

@@Quirderph It's not about just Doctor Who. It's about general media culture like I said. And that's just the thing btw. "Badass" is not the trait one looks for in the Doctor. Or at least not what comes to mind when I think of so called "badass female characters"

[@FaultyTARDIS]

Incredibly brave to showcase a past version of yourself that voices opinions that you no longer agree or align with

[@zeroranger7200]

I am 32 now, but if i had to look back at my 25 year self, i would be horrified. I have grown and matured so much since then. You are really brave to do this lol

[@therealpbristow]

Thankyou so much for doing this video. I hope you don't mind, but I've given it a plug over on my Facebook wall. (I've only watched a few of your videos before, and while I'd love to watch regularly, well... It's KZbin. So many videos, so little time... But I'm *really* glad I caught this one! =:o} ) A dear friend of mine was quite strongly anti-sex-change for the Doctor, back around then, and only later came out as M-to-F trans herself. One of her arguments (well, "his" arguments, back then) was that in real life, trans people don't get to magically swap from one to the other in an instant and then go swanning off on a new adventure, looking totally one hundred percent like their new gender and only getting queried about it when they mis-pronoun themselves, and she (he) feared that that would be how it was done on screen. In real life - at least in the UK - trans people have to go through years of trying to live as their "chosen gender" - dressing appropriately, using the appropriate toilets, and all sorts of other exterior signs - before they can get permission to be operated on. It sure as hell doesn't happen on on a whim, or by accident! And that was the only argument that ever made any sense to me, but then I figured: Basically, you need genuine trans persons involved in the production process, to make sure it's handled appropriately. Well.. as I say, that friend (God rest her soul) eventually came out as trans herself, and did live long enough to watch Jodie's first season. Her complaints as she did so (and she was never short of complaints, ever in her life! =:o} ) were all about the writing, not about the casting... And naturally enough, since she was a consummate writer herself. This video feels a bit like the later conversation she and I never got to have, and I don't know if we ever would have had... [SIGHS] ... Miss you, Zan. ={:o( (Signed: Some straight white cis dude.)

[@irrevenant8724]

23:00 (ish) Past you seems to have forgotten that the Doctor always really enjoys being his current incarnation, but when a different incarnation encounters that one they tend to think less of them ("Day of the Doctor" is a fairly hilarious example of this). It's pretty obvious that when a Time Lord regenerates, their new body feels completely natural and right to them. For example, Ten would never have chosen to regenerate into that goofball Eleven, but Eleven loved being Eleven. Similarly, Missy loved being Missy but Simms would never have deliberately chosen that form. (I'm surprised past you also missed that the misogyny of the NuWho Master means he'd be pretty darn unlikely to *choose* to regenerate into a woman).

[@dubbingsync]

I guess I’ve been one of those people who were in the minority at that time and would have happily seen a female doctor… Just to see how it would have been tackled. Especially because I enjoyed the Master becoming Missy. It a way it made sense because the Doctor themselves said that “you never know what you’re going to get”.

[@IsmailOPostalcioglu]

I think your old video had something right towards the end: Chibnall's writing did not address how to subvert a female stereotype (the way Doctor usually suverts a male), and that might be a reason for the 13th Doctor's lack of character

[@edj8008]

This was interesring watch. Very.... human. There is a billion persons that wish that they could talk some sense in thier younger self for a billion different reason.

[@LinnaAP]

I dont think it was the first video I saw but it was the one that put me off the channel when I first found it, it was only some time later when you appeared and/or was recommended on a jessie gender's video that I gave the channel a second chance and I'm really glad I did it.

[@ayamira8589]

First off: hats off to you! Re-Evaluating your own ideas and choices, and admitting to past mistakes in the process is something you need genuine strength for. So you going out there and doing it pubicly really has to be admired! It's also genuinely fascinating to see the change in you. I have only known your channel for about a year and admittedly never checked your older vids so this is like a shock but also very endearing. Because we all did stuff when we were younger that we are extremely embarassed about now. And your reactions in the first 30 minutes are positively hilarious (in the best kind of way!) because they are testament to what I guess most of us feel like about one thing or the other when looking back at our younger selves. xD On another note it is awesome to see how much you have grown in how you look at things, and how you realise that much of what you said back then was heavily influenced by societal expectations and where you stood in your own journey. It is also so very telling about where we still are today that at 39 minutes you already predicted correctly what would happen: A female figure who shares their past lives ineptitude (if I may call it like that) for human emotions is perceived as "faulty" by many. Likewise, a female leading figure being absentminded or willfully acting a bit silly at times is seen as incompetend while with male leading figures this is perceived as endearing. The number of discussions I've been in where Thirteen is being called uncaring and cold, stupid, inadequate and awful just because she acts exactly like some of the male incarnations before her did is frustratingly high. Gender biases still persist in so many people's heads and you foresaw that correctly. Only, back then you didn't yet realise - or acknowledge - that this is something that should actually change and be challenged! So thank you for making this vid! It is very much appreciated. :)

[@laborlart]

"We all change, when you think about it. We're all different people all through our lives. And that's okay, that's good, you've got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be." - The Eleventh Doctor

[@WiloPolis03]

"Just ignore the Timeless Child" man even THIS video is now dated lol

[@yuvalne]

god if that sense of being terrified of the possibility of becoming a woman isn't familiar to any trans person who went very hard on their egg phase. god.

[@llt8101]

I'm really glad that I don't have any videos of my former self voicing any opinions.

[@Tymbus]

As a UK fan since the late 70s, I remember the DWAS president arguing that the Timelords were probably not actually as we saw them, that their 'real form' could be something else. I liked the idea, it stuck in my mind so I had zero problem with the Doctor regenerating to look like a woman. It is amazing what difference different "head canon" can make. I never thought regeneration was voluntary, although Lala Ward's regeneration Romana did suggest there was some flexability to a Timelord's appearence post regeneration. But this is "fan w*nk. The fact is, when Whitaker was announced as the Doctor, I just thought great, this will shake the series up a bit because frankly the show was getting stale

[@Pablo360able]

for some reason the image I can't get out of my head is the doctor (capaldi era) watching your old content and making a video about how you should become a woman

[@Estarfigam]

The Doctor can be any shape David Rapaport from Time Bandits would have been great. It's like two different people. Thank you for your embarrassment and your evolution into Vera. Also the Master is a Time Traveler.

[@ikarikid]

Well, David Rappaport is also, unfortunately, both human and very very dead.

[@draksus]

Watching this reminded me of the Tower scene in The Day of the Doctor. "It just occured to me. This is what I'm like when I'm alone." - Eleven

[@joelakat]

I think a lot of us were willing to go along with the change, but were afraid that the public as a whole wouldn't embrace it because of their baggage. You need viewers to have a show and we just didn't want Doctor Who to go away because it tried something brave. It's a silly idea really, considering how many drastic changes the show had to go through just to survive. Trying to be safe and continuously recreate the same thing you've already done is a better recipe for failure than making a bold change ever was. I'm so glad it happened!

[@katiehanna90]

"I don't have the spoons to deal with this" is my new favorite phrase and I will be adopting it immediately

[@eepyJay]

This is unrelated but you look gorgeous in this video! 💞😭 ok ok, now to actually watch the video.

[@cyrussoxlegion]

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." -me, attempting to describe Doctor Who in a deliciously cryptic, yet frustrating manner(while also using a quote from the show.)

[@headkittens]

I'm so glad you had the opportunity to interrogate your past self, something i can only do internally. Good thing you got to drink the gender fluid

[@AndrewTaylorPhD]

About 44 minutes in it seemed like the argument was "X, Y and Z are male traits only a man can have, and A, B and C are non-male traits that are being subverted, so if you put a woman in there none of that would work!". ...wouldn't that just mean you were playing A, B and C straight and subverting X, Y and Z?

[@DavidBeddard]

If I'd seen this when it was released, I'd have agreed. Watching you now, I agree with you now. Thank you for helping me on my journey through sharing yours. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍

[@tardisnet9487]

I used to hate the idea of a Female Doctor and back in 2018 I made a video about my concerns. Now I realise how stupid I was and that it doesn't matter. I had concerns similar to yours about societal expectations and subverting them and the character not feeling like the Doctor. However even if the character changes to different dynamics that isn’t a bad thing and opens the character up to new possibilities. All my concerns were based around bad writing which isn’t a good enough reason not to make the decision.

[@a_diamond]

Peter Capaldi's Doctor struggled with the question "Am I a good man?" We all make mistakes. We don't have to be perfect. Being able to learn from past mistakes can make you into a "better" person than you were before. Growth is the point. Learning is the point. Daring to change your mind, is very much the point. Your ability to look at yourself without feeling too threatened by past mistakes speaks for your personality and your strength. So cheers.. well done. You've come a long way.. keep going. You don't need to be "perfect" in order to be "better". Here is a question for you.. What do you think would have opened your eyes back then?? Also, I *still* like the hoodie.. ❤️

[@WiloPolis03]

I can't read any of these comments, they're all more than 5 lines long

[@willbeaty6892]

This is truly one of the best videos you've ever made. The original video is relatively harmless, but how much would you give to see the true dunderheads of YT show even a fraction of this self reflection? Regeneration, just like real life personal growth, should never be used as an excuse to ignore past mistakes!

[@ChristyAbbey]

I actually did go and watch this soon after my own transition. And... I laughed at that guy. But good that you understand fro experience that it sometimes takes a while. Cheers from a late transitioner. I do disagree with you that they didn't explain it. Remember, on The Doctor's mind as his regeneration was paused was the sexism of the First Doctor. They didn't *need* to give an explanation, but they did.

[@jrbaskind]

This looks like you're yelling at an embarrassing younger brother.

[@AndrewTaylorPhD]

In the early days of the new series I thought it might be a mistake to have a female Doctor because there just isn't much consistency from series to series apart from the iconic "mad man with a box" - if you change one of those five words, will it be the same show? Might casting a woman be like fixing the chameleon circuit so the Tardis could camouflage properly? And what I loved about The Woman Who Fell To Earth was that it was a massive "screw you" to that whole idea - because not only was the Doctor a woman, but also the Tardis wasn't in it and they didn't even play the theme tune at the start, and yet it *absolutely* felt like an episode of Doctor Who because it had *all* the things that *actually* make the show what it is. When the theme song rolled at the end it felt earned somehow. Also Jodie is great, I was basically sold on her from the reveal video in the forest. That helped a lot. (Also I kinda stand by the idea they shouldn't have changed it *then*, I think it was worth re-establishing the show first.)

[@joy7367]

>says they like the doctor being a paternal figure >>says women aren't allowed as much flexibility within the mother archetype >>>says they like how the doctor is subversive of expectations ××××doesn't conclude that a the doctor being a woman would be cool bc she could have those "paternal figure characteristics" (whatever that meant) and that would be very subversive in itself

[@CouncilofGeeks]

Look, I don’t stand by that guy. He’s a stranger to me now.

[@friday6448]

Okay, pet peeve, I always find it kinda creepy when someone repeatedly saying female when woman would do just fine. I have no idea why, it just sounds weird being like "well he was always a MAN, so why would be ever become a FEMALE?" It's like you mean woman, just say woman, OR use "male" when you mean man as well. Old you did that a lot in this video, it's just a weird pet peeve with me

[@CouncilofGeeks]

Something that's happened since that first video (and possibly before, but I wouldn't have known) is that a lot of far right men use "female" instead of "woman" because it's low grade dehumanizing because it's more like a text book definition. That wasn't why I did that (I'm not sure there was a reason at all) so far as I'm aware, but I'd suspect that's part of your discomfort.

[@lunaskies624]

As you say, everyone is entitled to change their mind. It's about learning, growing, developing as a person, and hopefully becoming a little wiser as the years tick by. It's very refreshing to see someone willing to confront their past self and their old views and admit that in the past they got it wrong. If only more people in life generally would be brave enough to do that.

[@selinaxXxXx]

I hate that this 'debate' is even a debate! Or argument in some cases. The doctor is an alien. I never had a problem with the Doctor being female. I still don't understand why it's a thing, issue, conversation or review of a reaction video. I will miss Jodie ❤️🎬

[@samuelbarber6177]

This makes me think of MrTardis reacting to, like, a completely mellow Bowlestrek.

[@julieannelovesbooks]

The funny thing is is that your head canon from back then still works. It sounds like you were saying that the doctor doesn’t have much to say in his appearance and his new body in general when they regenerate at a time where their physical self is in grave danger. So the gender swap could still happen without much conscious thought or decision on the doctors part if the doctor regenerated under dire circumstances. It’s your own argument, and it works better than the way you originally presented it 😂😅. I think the most shocking thing for me about this is how stuck you were in societal norms of gender and stereotypes etc. I’m glad you’ve found yourself more since the original video ❤️

[@williamcorpening6132]

I think we all needed to see this catfight... Lol. Truly though, it was fascinating to see how far you've traveled in this journey. You are loved.

[@zemoxian]

Missy reveal? I thought it was inevitable around the time of The Doctor‘s Wife. I thought they were leaving hints that it was coming. River and Missy pretty much settled it for me.

[@carschmn]

Were you filming in a cargo container?

[@nicholas920us]

I am sure that somebody on KZbin has re-viewed a past video in this way and answered for things said in the past... I have a lot of world views and ideologies that have changed over time through education and experience. If I had the benefit of a record of my opinions in the form of a KZbin channel, I likely would have deleted any rant or opinion that might not have aged well... you faced it and owned up to it. Bravo

[@lastationproductions]

Dont some of their personalities carry over in their regeneration ?

[@CouncilofGeeks]

It varies wildly from case to case. The moral values remain but personality is all over the map.

[@ikarikid]

So I’m about halfway through the video…does Vera (either of them) note that Twelve DID choose his face?

[@CouncilofGeeks]

No, but that was also unconsciously and trying to psychoanalyze a subconscious reason was a bit beyond what I feel up for (then or now).

[@patriciasantiago1672]

I absolutely love you for being brave enough to face the stupid things we do in the past in public and say: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

[@templar1881]

Interesting experiment, I would be curious to see you reacting to other past videos, but hopefully they won't be quite as difficult as this one. Keep it up the good work, even if sometimes you get videos like that one.

[@bereny45]

I know I'm two years late. But even if you keep the "it needs to be influenced" theory. The Doctor being influenced by the Master is influenced is influenced enough

[@KnightofEkron]

The red lipstick with the red plaid really work together well.

[@Alex-ph5ir]

This was actually really helpful to watch, Doctor Who stuff aside. I am a big people pleaser (with a nice dose of rejection sensitive dysphoria) and even though I know I am not infallible and think accountability and growth is really important, my brain still does that thing where it tells me, "you did/said something wrong in the past and so everyone is always going to hate you and you suck." Seeing you engage with this past material of yours was a really good depiction of how one can acknowledge where they went wrong in the past while also being secure in the version of themselves they currently are, without simply cutting off their past *or* denying the growth they've been through. I know you were uncomfortable watching at times, but this is a really great video and valuable exercise. It was also kind of like watching the current regenerated version of you look back on a past regeneration :)

[@jonburnett90]

The ONLY issue I have with a female doctor is the one Peter Davidson raised. Boys don't have a lot of fictional heroes that solve problems with their words/minds instead of violence. That said we also need more female leads in fiction and The Doctor's fluidity in casting lends itself to fill that need. I just hope the next time they do it is with a better writing team.

[@CouncilofGeeks]

While I raised that point myself at the time, I don't feel there's much foundation do it since 1) the overall situation with that has improved in the 7 years since I did that original video, and 2) unlike doing a reboot where the character was changed to female this doesn't even superficially erase the previous male versions nor prevent future ones.

[@jonburnett90]

@@CouncilofGeeks 100%. Like I said it's my only issue with it and it's diminished massively over time. Thanks as always for the vid and for acknowledging this dinosaurs opinion :)

[@augustjoys]

@@CouncilofGeeks I also think boys can absolutely have women as role models.

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

re greenscreen: You *did* make a greenscreen effect work nicely in your "90s Comics Re-Trial" of The Death of Superman! That was a fun video!

[@CouncilofGeeks]

That’s because I actually knew what I was doing for that one.

[@ChildOfTheWilderness]

Continuity matters though, so you do have to have a reason to make radical change to a character. That reason has to work within the parameters of the logic of the universe in which you are operating. You can't just do shit because it's cool or radical or whatever, that's how you upset fans and it's a big problem that franchises like Star Wars & Star Trek now have. The people in charge of them don't care about respecting what came before, they care about just doing whatever they want with no regard for how it affects what already exists. It needs to be something that has developed organically within the established framework over time. Look at Star Trek Discovery. It's not a bad show in of itself but the decision to set it during the Kirk era and subsequent story decisions completely contradict and undermine stuff that happens in TOS & even later Trek shows. The best way to avoid that would be don't set it in that era, set it far in the future or in the JJ Abrams timeline where it can do its own thing and not disrupt what already exists. The Timeless Child is the same problem.

[@legendarypft2124]

I thought this guy looked familiar. I do recall the last part of this vid with the subversion of gender roles. I know there were quite a few jumping on back of the whole missy thing. I would of seen it back when it came out. Then maybe again after Jodie's confirmation. I wasn't surprised as i knew it was going to happen since people often hate change or own head canons. I don't think I would of realized this guy in vid was you though things can change alot in only a few years.

[@lemcy1256]

I love that in this video you are just kind of arguing with your former self... Like most people do when they develope. I argue constantly with myself about just everything...I hate myself but I also love myself to bits! I am a major catastrophy. A menace. A disaster. A fucking apocalypse. But I am still there and I am still queer.

[@LaPrincipessaNuova]

I wonder if I have any record of my opinions that far back. I know by the time they announced Jodie Whitaker as the 13th Doctor I’d been hoping for a woman to be cast. I feel like I remember the first time I read an article theorizing about the idea of a female doctor (would have probably been some time during Matt Smith’s run) being very excited about the idea. Like I hadn’t realized I was trans yet, but the idea of my favorite character’s gender changing certainly sounded thrilling.

[@NormandySR2XO]

It's like seeing a past incarnation of yourself. Great video.

[@anitrahooper5031]

Missed it live, but loved how you called your past self out, while giving compassion they way you do for others. We all evolve, or should. Thank you for sharing yours to model how its done. I love you!

[@timrob12]

Ah, changing an opinion. Remember when Peter Davison got bullied off Twitter for doing exactly that?

[@stephjovi]

All those reasons about different perception when the doctor is female that dynamic change is exactly why I wanted a female doctor. Just a change if pace a chance for new stories and jokes. They didn't use it enough with Jodie

[@irrevenant8724]

I think it would be a shame to take down the old video. One of the great things about KZbin is being able to see people's growth over time. It would certainly make a lot of sense to add some captions to it indicating that this is no longer how you think and pointing people at this video, though.

[@CouncilofGeeks]

I didn't take it down, but it's now unlisted, as I don't really see the value in viewing it without my current perspective as part of the same viewing experience.

[@irrevenant8724]

@@CouncilofGeeks Fair enough.

[@HonoredMule]

I'm feeling the need to defend what I think is a clear distinction between being sexist or racist, and just being a nerd. The latter is still completely valid, even if not everyone's idea of fun. I'm the sort of person who appreciates consistency and finds (in-universe) logistics compelling. As such it actually does bother me to have 50% of the traditional sexes emerge from 100%-1 of the regenerations. When it was 100% male, we could assume there's a fixed reason because it's already consistent. Once we get one female, it begs the question what that reason was and more to the point what disrupted it. The implicit assumption is no longer satisfying. If there never was a reason (in-universe), _where are the rest of the women?_ So yes, I would have liked a plot element to justify Jodie's turn at the helm. Absolutely that has no bearing on whether there should be a female doctor, which there should, and no doubt the next one will work out better (presuming it happens under a better showrunner). And at that time, hopefully the show will do us the courtesy of offering _some kind_ of plot element that serves as influencing factor on the sex of a regenerated doctor. There's nothing sexist about rational minds liking things to have reasons, and it is 100% Chibnal that dropped the ball. I'm half thinking the same thing about Ncuti, though introducing a black doctor without explanation is far more justifiable because a) skin color isn't nearly so fundamental a human trait as sex and b) "white" already isn't a single color. In that context I could dismiss skin color entirely, except that somewhere around 20-50% of the human population is dark skinned, so that's still a degree of favoritism that ought to make sense. I can however chalk it up to the same anomaly that has The Doctor consistently visiting the UK, picking up companions from the UK, defending _the UK_ against worldwide threats... That's not really ok for pedants like me either, but at least it's not new. In fact it's an extremely common problem with sci fi purporting to present a world broader than the country from which its produced. Shows like SG1 and spinoffs are in fact notable for _not_ having this issue, by virtue of a plot that's actually centered on its production home. (Or shows like Firefly acknowledging that Asia exists and just might influence future humanity - but even then it only does so weakly.) And that brings us full circle to sex, because The Doctor is regenerating forms that emulate the skin color _and_ nationality of his typical companions which are themselves apparent reflection of his personal tastes, yet generally sticking to the opposite sex - and while considering them unsuitable romantic partners no less. Of course none of this really matters _much._ But it does matter some, because it's details, and either details matter, or the broader thing doesn't. Either I care about the show making sense, or I don't care about the show. Both are perfectly acceptable positions, but shouldn't the show itself prefer the former? Also side note: maybe connection between having multiple companions at once and bigeneration? Maybe the companions shape The Doctor in truly meaningful, _biological_ ways?

[@Purple_Lilith]

Honestly, if that video had been the first thing I had seen of you, I might not have subscribed.

[@CLJlovesmal]

I started Doctor Who with Romana II, one of my first episodes being her regeneration. I remember The Doctor yelling at her for taking someone else's face and thinking he maybe couldn't choose his regeneration because he did worse than her at academics. So I guess i just thought that a Time Lord/Lady could be whichever, whether by choice as shown with Romana II or random as we've seen a lot with The Doctor. But The Doctor has also had faces previously met. It's very interesting watching you go over an old video and viewpoint held. Only found you a few months ago but have enjoyed what I've seen so far.

[@jamescastelli]

How is "it is time" ever a valid reason to do anything IN AND OF ITSELF? I'm speaking of course in a fictional sense and not, say, in the reality of "it is time" to free slaves or give women the right to vote. And, if "it is time" for the Doctor to become a woman, which "isn't it time" for every other male character to suddenly transform into women en masse? Would the antithesis of this ever be appropriate, conceivably? I think it is genuinely valid to suggest that women should absolutely be more equally represented in shows and films, and that the solution shouldn't be waving a magic screenwriters (or literal) wand and turn all the men into women, or remake the entire movie with women, but rather MAKING NEW SHOWS WITH LEADING WOMEN and INTRODUCING MORE AND BETTER WOMEN IN EXISTING SHOWS. I think it unfortunately says a lot that the "solution" is the easier route of changing the genders in a show or film that has been long established as successful following the pattern of male dominance rather than making something original and taking those same risks of success or failure that the show being tinkered with already demonstrated. It is, in a way, cheating, but in a way which unfortunately undermines the very position if, in the end, women can only climb to cinematic prominence not by creating new content but by slowly replacing male characters who made the roles successful with females. It sends the message that they couldn't have done it as well starting from scratch, which seems to give fans and viewers (including bigots) a valid reason to view the practice with suspicion.

[@thebasementfilmgroup]

I sooo remember this video ..... one of the first ones I saw.... haven't we all aged lol

[@nightowl8477]

Only decent arguement I ever heard against anything other than a male Doctor is Peter Davison's. He says that, fundamentally, the Doctor is a subversion of everything you'd expect from a male lead. Indeed, a lot of what Steven Moffat attempted to do with 11 (and furthermore Sherlock) was analyse and deconstruct the traditional male hero archetype. Davison says that when you cast a woman as that unmasculine character, _"what you've got, more than anything, is a stereotype."_ Traditionally female characteristics...in a role played by a female. Fair point. Hardly progressive, hardly good representation, but what choice do you have? You can't flip the board and give a 60-year-old character a whole new personality (beyond some cosmetic updates as we always do). Easy enough to get around, though. I think Chris has done a decent job at that. Just needs to be handled slightly more delicately. Though it might be nice if the next one could be a little more feminine, just to explore that direction.

[@jamescastelli]

No, you don't need to justify the existence of a woman. You would, however, be more obliged to do so if you were changing a character who had been male for OVER FIFTY YEARS. The show preemptively laid down the requisite precedents such as Missy in order for this justification to occur, even though it never explains why we never saw it happen in the preceding half century. The Doctor's character could have been CONCEIVED AS a woman, and you could have had an infinity of spinoff adventures with female Time Lords. But then notion that "it is Dr. Who, anything goes, why, he could regenerate into DARTH VADER and it would be cool!" to me cheapens the show and makes it obvious that the REAL reason is that which you were dreading in your original video. However, I was willing to give it a shot, since wonkier things had occurred in the show's history that a gender swap is relatively a minor thing. The REAL downfall of the show I think was the lousy or lackluster writing combined with companions that I never completely warmed to or cared about and a lead actress whose performance was either too derivative or left much to be desired (if not annoying). It also didn't help that she was less a fan of the show than the average fan and knew little about its history (or even cared to know) she was stepping into. It seemed she felt she could dismiss all that came before as "the male gaze which deserves no less than to be forgotten" than embrace the character which would include coming to terms with the fact that she once was, said and did all that Hartnell and Pertwee did. She was more concerned with shattering the glass ceiling than embodying and internalizing her former regenerations. Luckily her (and Chibnall's) era will soon end, and it remains to be seen if the next season will be a last hurrah return to form or something for which the return of RTD will make us even more grateful. You weren't "wrong" before. If someone couldn't have argued with you back then, then only temporal hubris would cause you to think no other future enlightened version of yourself or other person couldn't laugh at you and your present position. But the same is true for me, too.

[@SissyPoettler]

Browsing through past installments, I came across this one. Many years ago, I suggested to the writers that the Witches planet is in trouble and needed the doctor's help. They induce a dream that he regenerates as a female to help them. After the dream sequence is over, they unanimously approve the decision to "hire" him to help.