PIERS Morgan has hit back at petition to remove him from his role on Good Morning Britain after he said he identified as a penguin in an on-air rant about gender last month.
The outspoken star doubled down on his original gag after a Twitter user called his view “dangerous and dehumanising” in a post promoting the Change.org petition.
Responding to the tweet, Piers wrote: “You can’t remove me, I’m currently identifying as a penguin so it would be animal cruelty.”
He went on to insist he’s an avid supporter of trans rights, but feels a BBC film claiming there are more than 100 genders is doing more harm than good.
Replying to a supportive fan, he said: “Thank you. I’ve always been a loud & proud supporter of people who transition, but feel this 100-gender nonsense makes an absolute mockery of what they go through.”
And he remained defiant this afternoon, sharing a gif of a penguin and writing: “Memo to all those trying to get me thrown off TV for refusing to accept there are 100 genders:”
The petition to axe Piers has been signed by more than 3,000 people.
In a lengthy passage, the petition’s creator Liam Austen, wrote: “So imagine my furore when, on the 11th September of this year, Morgan delivered yet another one of his staple rants around gender, sexuality and identification. Of course, with the help of the programme’s crew rallying around him in the name of “entertainment”.
“Morgan’s claims that he now identifies as a penguin were supported with a mock-up image and childish music on-screen, effectively reducing this discussion to a mere joke…”
He continued: “Essentially, this petition has been birthed out of sheer exhaustion and frustration. We are currently living in the midst of very challenging times as a country, what with a no-deal Brexit looming over us, Parliament essentially falling apart in front of our eyes, and tensions between left and right-wing supporters growing daily.
“What good comes from keeping Morgan as a host? Instead of providing light reprieve from the world’s horrors – or, indeed, discussing them factually and objectively – he contributes directly to them.
“Morgan dictates to his viewers that it’s acceptable to deny an LGBTQ+ person of their rights; it’s acceptable to tell them they don’t exist; it’s acceptable to call them “snowflakes” when they get rightfully upset.”
In September Piers said he identified as “a penguin” in a rant about multiple genders and Susanna Reid’s “high salary” on Good Morning Britain.
His tirade came after it was revealed a gay penguin couple had adopted a gender neutral penguin at a London aquarium.
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Piers had a bee in his bonnet about the issue after it was revealed BBC films are being used in schools to teach children there are “100 genders or more”.
He moaned, “the world has gone nuts. I’m going to say that now I am identifying as a penguin and I demand to be allowed into the penguin enclosure at the aquarium and live with the penguins.
“This is the way the world is going, when I talk about this people go, ‘You are so intolerant’ and if you dare challenge these people they want you fired, expunged, sacked.”
Trying to calm her colleague down, co-host Susanna said: “I think if you want to identify as a pan penguin that’s fine.”
But Susanna, who was reportedly awarded a £1million pay deal for hosting GMB with Piers, quickly regretted her comment as Piers screamed back: “It’s not fine! It’s not fine to tell six year old kids that you could be any one of 100 genders.
“It’s not fine that the BBC should be doing this.”
He added: “You women moan as well. Women have it so hard don’t they? They have it so hard. But you and your massive salary, working four days a week. Come on.”
Susanna simply replied: “I do think it’s confusing for children to learn about 100 gender identities.”
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