Canadian public broadcaster CBC has rowed back on showing a BBC documentary about transgender children after claiming the film was not appropriate and citing and negative reaction from audience members.

The documentary “Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best?” which was produced by the BBC earlier this year examines the debate surrounding children who believe themselves to be transgender. The CBC announced on Tuesday that they would be showing the film on the documentary channel but were met with a number of negative comments from left-wing Twitter activists.

Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best? Parents are encouraged to adopt a 'gender affirmative' approach – fully supporting their children's change of identity. But is this approach right? https://t.co/ALOucSlXuh pic.twitter.com/6aWAlvuPOb — CBC Docs (@cbcdocs) December 12, 2017

Users wrote that the documentary, which interviewed pro-trans activists, doctors, psychologists, parents of trans children and transsexuals themselves, “legitimizes transphobic views.”

Why is our public broadcaster airing a documentary that legitimizes transphobic views? This film has been discredited by trans folks and experts and y’all are doing a huge disservice to vulnerable communities and trans kids for airing it — Fae Johnstone (@FaeJohnstone) December 12, 2017

One of the most vocal critics on Twitter was University of Victoria assistant professor of social work Cindy Holmes whose work is described as “intersections between violence, health and place; the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, Two-Spirit and trans people.”

On Twitter, she also claims to live in “unceded territories of the WS’ANEC’ (Saanich), Lkwungen (Songhees), Wyomilth (Esquimalt) peoples.” Her position echoes that of current Victoria mayor Lisa Helps who refused to swear an oath of loyalty to the Queen in 2014, claiming the land belonged to aboriginal peoples.

https://twitter.com/cindyholmes65/status/940679558424010752

Professor Holmes was joined by local far-left New Democrat Party (NDP) “community organiser” and British Columbia vice-president Morgane Oger who celebrated the CBC refusing to show the film writing, “I am pleasantly shocked by the speed of their action.”

Transgender children have become a focus of debate in Canada where the Ontario provincial government recently passed a bill that could label parents child abusers for refusing to accept their child’s chosen gender identity.

Some fear the legislation could be used to take children away from parents after remarks by Minister of Children and Youth Services, Michael Coteau who said, “I would consider that a form of abuse, when a child identifies one way and a caregiver is saying no, you need to do this differently.”

“If it’s abuse, and if it’s within the definition, a child can be removed from that environment and placed into protection where the abuse stops,” he added.

Canadian Liberal party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a well-known supporter of LGBT causes and recently apologised “for the persecution & injustices” done to the LGBT community in Canada.