Child Prodigy

It was just the other day when I came across a documentary by Keith Allen filming James Harries who is now known as Lauren Harries. Does the name ring a bell to you?

He was the 80s/90s child prodigy who claimed to know about Antiques. He had thick, curly blonde hair and always wore a dicky bow tie. I'll post a picture of him as a young boy, I'm sure you'll remember him when you see him.

Back to the documentary. James is now Lauren after a sex reassignment operation. I actually think she still seems confused and delirious. In fact the whole family are living in a world of fantasy, delirious, disfunctional and delusion.

All the way through I kept an open mind, in a way, I kind of felt sorry for them. All those years ago, Mark and Kate must have been really desperate to push their youngest son into the limelight forging a claim that he could do antiquing at such a tender age.

I thought it was good that Lauren had counselling during the treatment but when it revealed that her own mother was the counsellor under a different name was morally wrong! Going through something so challenging and difficult like this is hard enough without having someone claiming to be qualified being so involved. Someone having this type of treatment requires proper qualified counselling as it is life changing and is a huge process to go through.

I personally don't have a problem with people having gender reassignment surgery/treatment, we can't help how we feel or think about ourselves. I have seen/heard people hurling abuse at people in this situation (not sure if it is right to say situation or not) and it is slightly upsetting. How would they feel if it was the other way round, there isn't anything wrong with becoming the opposite sex. I take each person as they are, not what they are.

In any situation, I always try to see it from all sides by placing myself in other people's shoes as such. I tried to do that with watching this documentary. That is why I kind of felt sorry for the Harries family as they've endured stones thrown at their windows, they've been physically attacked and on the film, it even shows passer-bys hurling abuse from in their cars. No one deserves that no matter what they have done or doing!

After watching it, I felt a bit disturbed a little, possibly more uncomfortable than disturbed. It opens your eyes at how people live, and how things can affect us all in different ways. In a way, I'm not surprised that Keith Allen told them truths and went off on one at the end, I honestly don't think I could have pretended to act as if their behaviour was normal or what we perceive as normal as long as he did.

If and when you watch the documentary, try to keep an open mind. Although you may not have an open mind at the end of it.