Biased BBC article promoting Lily Madigan

ferntwist · 2017-12-01T10:55:04+00:00

BBC Newsbeat reporter Michael Baggs has taken it on himself to launch Lily Madigan's career as an MP with a shockingly biased article today. [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/42167494/lily-madigan-i-want-to-be-labours-first-transgender-mp]] Anne Ruzylo is described as having been dismissed because of 'perceived transphobia' - she resigned because she was harassed for her feminism! Baggs also gets the CLP wrong. Most importantly, Anne Ruzylo is not given any right to reply. In fact, the article doesn't interview a single feminist or a single Labour women who is concerned about males taking women's opportunities, but gives huge prominence to an unpublished letter from women who have already benefitted from the Jo Cox scheme. Michael Baggs casts Lily as a brave battler against transphobia - entirely missing the real story here, which is that women are being bullied from speaking out against the loss of their opportunities to men. I am absolutely gobsmacked that such a biased, unbalanced puff piece on such a divisive wannabe politician has made it onto the BBC. Really makes you think there's something going on, doesn't it? If you would like to complain, here's where to do it. Takes a minute. [[https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/?lang=en&reset=&uid=494878240]]

Agerbilatemycardigan · 19/12/2017 06:41

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AsMenDclaredWomenTheirInferior · 19/12/2017 06:12

another tweet by madigan
"If they aren’t comfortable with trans women using women’s toilets they are literally being prejudiced against trans women - transphobia"

my answer to that is
If trans women aren’t comfortable using men’s toilets that isn't women's problem..!

There is no evidence TW are any less dangerous to women and girls than any other men and we have separate toilets because of men's predatory history, so women have them not despite men but because of men.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 18/12/2017 23:27

I got the same response. But I do think complaining about these things is worthwhile.

LaContessaDiPlump · 18/12/2017 14:49

Done - thanks op.

busyboysmum · 18/12/2017 14:46

I got this:

Thank you for contacting us regarding our Newsbeat online article that was posted on Friday 1st December. We understand that you feel that the article was inaccurate and portrayed Lily Madigan in a favourable light.

At the beginning of the article we explained that Lily is Labour’s first transgender woman’s officer, and we referred to her within this capacity throughout the article. We also explained that some people were unhappy with accepting Lily as a woman’s officer, as someone who will look at the best ways to represent female constituents in their area, as Lily has not lived all of her life as a woman. We believe that within the article we heard from both sides of the story, and we feel it was also important to hear from Lily on her views on the subject to understand the journey that has led to her being appointed Labour’s first transgender woman’s officer. These views are Lily’s own, and have been quoted as such.

We also explained Lily’s campaign to get fellow woman’s officer, Anne Ruzylo, removed from her post as a result of alleged transphobic views. We did not say that Lily was successful in the removal of Ms Ruzylo, and Ms Ruzylo herself explained that the complaint against her was not upheld.

Please be assured that your comments have been passed to the Newsbeat team and we appreciate the time you’ve taken to get in touch.

So completely and utterly unique in every way.

Backingvocals · 18/12/2017 14:41

Just had a reply from the BBC - told them I didn't want the standard reply they've sent out already so they've sent me a redrafted standard reply which also doesn't tackle the main question - I asked them to address the BBC editorialising in their sentence "This is not the first time LM has faced transphobia..."

I will ask again for a comment on that specific sentence.

Thank you for contacting us regarding our Newsbeat online article that was posted on Friday 1st December. We understand that you feel that the article was inaccurate and portrayed Lily Madigan in a favourable light.

At the beginning of the article we explained that Lily is Labour’s first transgender woman’s officer, and we referred to her within this capacity throughout the article. We also explained that some people were unhappy with accepting Lily as a woman’s officer, as someone who will look at the best ways to represent female constituents in their area, as Lily has not lived all of her life as a woman. We believe that within the article we heard from both sides of the story, and we feel it was also important to hear from Lily on her views on the subject to understand the journey that has led to her being appointed Labour’s first transgender woman’s officer. These views are Lily’s own, and have been quoted as such.

We also explained Lily’s campaign to get fellow woman’s officer, Anne Ruzylo, removed from her post as a result of alleged transphobic views. We did not say that Lily was successful in the removal of Ms Ruzylo, and Ms Ruzylo herself explained that the complaint against her was not upheld.

Please be assured that your comments have been passed to the Newsbeat team and we appreciate the time you’ve taken to get in touch.

iseenodust · 05/12/2017 11:59

Could also complain at [email protected]
They like to show they're playing a balanced hand.

I can't due to job.

Lancelottie · 05/12/2017 11:46

Lily comes across as a bit dim, or possibly just incapable of listening.

MrGHardy · 05/12/2017 11:37

Seen ok the outpouring of support for the innocent, vulnerable teenager? What kind of delusion are these people suffering from.

hackmum · 05/12/2017 11:29

Just come across a screenshot of a tweet from Lily on Twitter:

twitter.com/JackyHolyoake/status/937821837848965123

According to Lily, a doctor said that his brain was "giving off weird levels of estrogen" and this was followed by brain scans to determine why he was depressed and apparently it's because he has "abnormal amounts of female hormones" in his system.

Where do I even start?

AdultHumanFemale · 05/12/2017 09:58

Hackmum and Macaroon , yes, because in allowing that statement to stand, right at the end without further comment, as if somehow neatly summing things up, they are displaying a particular kind of bias. I'm also thinking of responding to Craig.

MacaroonMama · 04/12/2017 20:25

What a load of crap! They do have a responsibility to challenge exactly those thoughts, hackmum yes! I am going to work out how to complain about the response to the complaint now...

AdultHumanFemale · 04/12/2017 18:05

Ha ha, yep, Craig has been busy copying and pasting -my reply was identical too. Man, would it have killed him to write just one little paragraph which referred to my complaint specifically?
I did have a little rant about the gender question in the pop-up user survey which appeared as I was limbering up to lodge my complaint, and I'd love someone to respond to that too!

MrGHardy · 04/12/2017 17:11

I got the exact same reply...must be a joke.

Thank you for contacting us about the BBC 'Newsbeat' article entitled 'Lily Madigan: I want to be Labour's first transgender MP'.

I understand you felt the article was biased in favour of Lily Madigan.

I appreciate your comments and please be assured the BBC is committed to impartial reporting at all times. The article makes reference to those who are critical of the appointment of Lily Madigan as well and giving context to past controversies.

While it is not always possible to present every single viewpoint within each individual article as you note Anne Ruzylo's comments which are critical of the appointment of Lily Madigan are featured as well as noting other Labour Party member concerns.

The article also note Lily Madigan's ambitions to become the first transgender MP.

Please be assured we always aim for the highest standards in our reporting, standards that include accuracy, fairness and impartiality and we are confident that this article is consistent with those aims and that a range of views were reported.

Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that we value your feedback. Please know all complaints are sent to senior management and news teams every morning and we have included your points in our overnight report. These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC and ensure that your complaint has been seen quickly, by the right people. This helps inform their decisions about current and future reporting.

Thank you once again for getting in touch.

Kind regards

Craig Osborne

BBC Complaints Team

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

SeaRabbit · 04/12/2017 16:44

Did I dream that the BBC us now meant to report the numbers of complaints they get about each programme?

Backingvocals · 04/12/2017 15:47

Complaint submitted.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 04/12/2017 15:22

She might well have experienced transphobia yes. But people questionning whether she is qualified to do this job isn't transphobic and shouldn't be reported as such.

hackmum · 04/12/2017 15:03

That reply to the complaint makes me wonder - are they dim, or what?

Look at the ending of the story:

I'd love to get us to a point where there just isn't this transphobia, where womanhood isn't as related to biology.
"Trans women are women. It's about time everyone recognised that."

That first sentence is outrageous and shouldn't go unchallenged. It's like saying, "I'd love to get to a point where bigoted people no longer say that black isn't white."

And "trans women are women" - no, you can't just say that and pretend that it makes sense. We already have a problem with children thinking being trans is cool and fashionable. Don't the BBC have any sense of their own responsibility towards young people? What next - an article about how great it is to be anorexic?

Lancelottie · 04/12/2017 14:59

Well, Lily may have experienced transphobia. The examples given, though, do seem to be more a case of ‘not the first time Lily experienced someone saying No and getting stampy footed about it’.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 04/12/2017 14:49

I've complained. I pointed out the use of the phrase 'But this isn't Lily's first experience of transphobia.'

Cocks.

MrGHardy · 04/12/2017 14:27

Oh do fuck off Craig.

Gingernaut · 04/12/2017 14:22

Complained.

LangCleg · 04/12/2017 14:12

I didn't bother asking for a reply either - it's always word salad guff.

I notice your reply, MacaroonMama, was sent after they edited the article to include a right of reply to Anne, which it didn't have in the first place.

SeaRabbit · 04/12/2017 14:00

I've complained too - didn't ask for a reply as I knew I'd get back guff. But maybe I should have, as they may count the numbers of emails they have to send spouting guff.

MacaroonMama · 04/12/2017 12:01

Hi All,
I got a reply from the BBC Complaints Team. Pasted below. I had already copied my complaint onto this thread (it is p1) - and I feel they have not really answered any of my points! Grumpy now...

Dear [Macaroon Mama]

Reference CAS-4679300-QLW2RF