(Reuters) - Scarlett Johansson on Friday pulled out of a movie in which she was cast to play a transgender character following a backlash from some members of the LGBT community who believed the part should have gone to a transgender actor. Johansson, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, had agreed to take a role in "Rub & Tug" as Dante "Tex" Gill, a real-life American crime kingpin who used his massage parlor as a front for prostitution in the 1970s and 1980s. Gill was born a woman but identified as a man. A spokesperson for the 33-year-old was initially defensive about the criticism, but it seems the actress had a change of heart. She said: 'In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project. Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I've learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,' she said. Scarlett Johansson plays the Black Widow in Avengers: Infinity War ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm9k33eN51o

A judge has ruled that it is in the hands of docyors to decide if under-16s can give informed consent to the use of puberty blockers. The appeal was brought by the Tavistock Trust, which runs the UK's only youth gender identity clinic. The decision reverses a 2020 ruling that under-16s lacked capacity to give informed consent to the treatment, which delays the onset of puberty. The original case was brought by Keira Bell, who says the clinic should have challenged her more over transitioning. She said she was disappointed by the decision, and will seek permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. In March, a separate judgement from the court's Family Division had ruled parents could give consent for under-16s to access puberty blockers, with other safeguarding measures considered. The Tavistock temporarily paused new referrals to its endocrinology service following the rulings. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd155Nvfzp4