Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker, who currently plays the titular role in the BBC sci-fi show, has revealed that her parents provided a gender neutral environment to grow up in.
Whittaker made history a couple of years ago as the first woman to take up the mantle of the Last of the Time Lords. The announcement managed to generate quite a buzz back then, mainly due to the fact that the last thirteen Doctors (counting John Hurt’s War Doctor) were all portrayed by male actors. Though credit where credit’s due, former showrunner Steven Moffat also did a lot to pave the way for the emergence of the first female Doctor before Chris Chibnall took over.
In fact, even in spite of the recent backlash and apparent viewership slump, it’s safe to say that after two seasons, the actress has absolutely knocked it out of the park as the 2000-year-old Gallifreyan time traveler. Granted, the decision attracted a lot of media attention solely because of its progressive approach, but if there’s anything that Whittaker has proven, it’s that Doctor Who is about inclusivity above all else.
And now, the actress has revealed where that positive energy comes from. In a recent interview with The Times, the 13th Doctor discussed the sort of environment that her parents advocated when she was growing up, noting:
“My brother and I were raised gender neutral before it was even considered a thing,” She said.
Whittaker added that she and her brother “were given equal opportunities and thrown into the same activities” and described her mother as “incredibly progressive.”
“Our parents told us that our social skills and sports were just as important as our academic results,” She continued. “They wanted me to be well rounded, able to have a proper conversation and have an inquisitive mind.”
The approach seems to have worked like a charm, given the amount of positivity that Jodie has brought to Doctor Who in the past two years. And that sense of positivity will no doubt continue to shine in her next season in the role, too.
