Chris

Well yes, clearly it has been, because the show originated in the early 1960s when there was no mainstream acceptance of the idea that gender could be different from biological sex. If you present someone as a grandfather in that context then you are tapping into a deep, commonly-held understanding of what that meant. Much is now made of how the classic doctor was “sexless” because he didn’t carry on with any of the classic companions, but if you understand the show in its correct historical context, the very first thing we knew about him was that he was a grandfather. Not being interested in relationships is then not so surprising.

The idea that the doctor is male was reinforced by the publicity stunt performed by John Nathan Turner and Tom Baker in wishing the new doctor well, “whoever he or she is” - she being a joke, not a suggestion to be taken seriously. The idea that a time lord can change biological sex in regeneration wasn’t taken seriously in any canonical material until after the revival of 2005.

All that said, there never was a showrunner’s bible for Doctor Who and much of what we think we know about Time Lords and Gallifrey was only ever invented when a story came along that required it. The Doctor’s universe is still being invented to this day. That’s probably a major reason it has survived so long. It’s always fresh and can always be adapted to fit stories that appeal to its current audience. I have no doubt that over the coming seasons the show will explore the psychological effect of a time lord sex change, and as all good sci fi does, will most likely generate a discussion about contemporary issues at the same time.