Russell T Davies’ Tip Toe is the once-in-a-decade drama that comes along and rocks the zeitgeist to its core: a bold and brave statement of truth that many have been too scared to write and broadcasters too afraid to commission.
Quite rightly, the millions of viewers who have binged all five episodes have been horrified.
Tip Toe follows Leo (played by Alan Cumming), who is killed by an angry mob led by his neighbour, Clive (David Morrissey).
It is an example of how a petty dispute can swiftly escalate into something far darker, fuelled by misinformation, homophobia and hatred.
The opening episode begins with the image of Leo’s body hanging from a lamppost outside his home. Over the course of the thriller, viewers discover how such a devastating nightmare became a reality.
Tip Toe’s finale is one of the most harrowing moments on television, so gut-wrenching and traumatising that it is almost unimaginable. Yet Leo’s death reflects a very real fear shared by many LGBTQ+ people, who worry that same violence and hatred could one day be directed at them.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
LGBTQ+ hate crimes are on the rise. The Rainbow Map, which ranks European countries on their legal and policy protections for LGBTQ+ people, now places the UK 22nd out of 49 nations.
Only 11 years ago, it was ranked first. Pride flags are being torn down almost as quickly as they are put up, and while the LGBTQ+ community is doing everything it can to remain resilient, it cannot face these challenges alone.
Davies is one of the few writers with the reach and influence to engage audiences far beyond the LGBTQ+ community, and Tip Toe’s impact has been inescapable, with thousands of devastated reactions across social media. But venting on X or Instagram is not enough – change only happens through action.
Metro spoke to Ben Kerningham, co-CEO of GALOP, the charity supporting LGBTQ+ victims of hate crime, domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as GALOP’s Rach Perry, about what viewers affected by Leo’s death and the events leading up to it can do to create meaningful change for their LGBTQ+ relatives, friends and neighbours.
Can you tell me about the sort of LGBTQ+ hate crimes on the rise in the UK at the moment? It feels like we’re constantly seeing more cases of Pride flags being burned down.
Ben: There’s a link between the visibility of the LGBT community and the number of hate crimes and hate incidents that happen.
We’re seeing perpetrators doing their hate crimes in public and thinking they’re going to get away with it. They’re referencing people who are publicly homophobic and transphobic, and justifying their actions in terms of that, so you’ve got the whole environment influencing what’s happening.
The nature of hate crime is changing, too. You’ve got hate crime in the real world, and then, as we saw in Tip Toe, the link between what happens online and what happens in real life, and how things can start online.
People can think what happens initially is a sort of joke, and then, because of the multiplying power of social media, people are outed. People being outed can put some people into a very dangerous situation in their homes, particularly young people.
We’re also seeing that the whole way in which sexual abuse is happening is changing as technology changes, and regulators are slow to catch up with, or perhaps reluctant to catch up with, the platforms that are enabling that kind of manifestation of hate to happen.
We hear some heartbreaking stories from people who have recently come out, telling us they wish they hadn’t come out because of what’s happened to them. We also hear people say they just wouldn’t hold their partner’s hand out of fear of hate crime. That sense that things were getting better and now they’re getting worse is quite universal among the people we’re working with.
What do we do about social media? What can people do when they see that kind of homophobia online? Should we be reporting it more?
Ben: I think there are a few different categories of things here.
One is making sure people know support exists. Lots of people know GALOP exists, but not everyone does. Getting support and working through the psychological challenges of being a victim close to the time when it happens can help prevent it having the scale of damage it otherwise might.
We’ve got a helpline, we’ve got advocacy, and if the people targeting you are the people next door, we can do what we can to help you move. If you want to go to the police, and that’s always your choice, we can support you through that process. If you’re a victim of domestic abuse, we can support you with housing and so on.
Just to touch on something you said earlier, can you explain a bit more about how banter can escalate into something bigger?
Ben: I think there are two ways. One is in a group setting – somebody says something, and it gives permission for somebody else to do the same.
Quite quickly, you can escalate from what perhaps the first person thought was a joke, albeit a homophobic or transphobic one. There’s then an implicit permission within that group situation that it’s okay.
The other thing I would say is that, if somebody isn’t challenged, it affirms the belief that it’s okay. If it is challenged, they’re less likely to move to the next step.
Have you seen any trends or changes in the calls you’re getting that seem to be on the rise?
Ben: We’ve seen a 27% increase year on year in calls to our helpline.
Rachel: One of our advocates was speaking to me the other day about the amount of arson they’re seeing, which ties in with that neighbour dynamic and people being targeted by their neighbours.
Those cases are particularly complex because a lot of the work our advocates do is around safety planning and helping that person get to a safe place before they can even consider reporting what’s happened. Safety has to be the priority, especially when you’re being targeted in your own home.
Can you think about when you noticed that rise in those sorts of cases?
Ben: Looking at the statistics over the last five years, we’ve seen a 19% increase in homophobic hate crime and a 52% increase in transphobic hate crime.
One of the most dramatic changes we’ve seen over the last few years is a very significant increase in transphobic hate crime.
Why do you think that increase happened? What was the catalyst?
Ben: Trans issues have become much more discussed in the media and much more contentious as an issue. That’s probably been the biggest driver.
How can people call out bigotry in a safe way?
Ben: That’s a good question. People obviously have to put their own safety first. The workplace is a really important place to challenge those kinds of behaviours because you can report what you see without necessarily confronting the person directly. Larger workplaces often have structures and HR functions that can support that.
Friendship groups are another good place to challenge things. There’s the homophobic joke you hear from a friend, and often that friend will be responsive if somebody points out that’s not a good way to talk about an LGBT+ person.
What can people do to learn more about LGBTQ+ hate crime in the UK? What resources are there?
Ben: They can go to the GALOP website. It’s an area we’ve done research in and published reports on, and it’s a good way to get more information about these issues. We’re one of the few organisations focused specifically on both LGBT+ issues and hate crime.
There might be people who think that the final episode of Tip Toe isn’t very realistic. What would you say to them?
Ben: What I would say is that there are hate crimes at many different degrees of severity. All hate crime can have a really long-term negative and damaging effect. Sadly, there are hate crimes that involve LGBT+ people being murdered.
Was there anything you would have liked to see addressed that wasn’t covered in Tip Toe?
I suppose what it didn’t cover so much was the support available to people. It showed how the main gay character did what he could to provide support, but it painted a bleak picture. There are things people can do, and there is support available for people.
Finally, is there anything we haven’t touched on that people can do in response to Tip Toe to help support LGBT+ people and hopefully prevent LGBT+ hate crime?
Ben: Only I would encourage people to watch it, even though it’s a hard watch, because it does provide an education.
It reminds people who thought this was a problem that had gone away that it hasn’t gone away. I think there are quite a lot of well-meaning people who think this is a problem of the past. The reality is that it’s a growing problem.
It’s also a reminder to friends and allies of LGBT+ people to think about what they can do: challenge homophobia, challenge transphobia and be good friends to the LGBT+ people in their lives at a time when that support is needed.
Tip Toe is available to watch on Channel 4.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.