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Original poster

The BBC has changed its reporting guide on gender

36 replies

Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 17:35

So I had a nosey after the Australian axe attacker was described as female, and partially corrected quite quickly after complaints. It used to prescribe self-identification of gender. Now it says this:

www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/articles/art20130702112133564

The BBC has changed its reporting guide on gender
The BBC has changed its reporting guide on gender
OP posts:
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Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 19:05

Yy. I wonder why they changed it. Would love to know what's gone on.

OP posts:
Longtalljosie · 27/01/2019 18:15

“Take care with the term 'sex change'. It should not be used as a general description for a transgender person”

I think that’s clear actually - that you shouldn’t say xxxx has had a sex change when all you mean is they are now called Jenny. It implies surgery and that might not be the case.

JSmitty · 27/01/2019 18:08

"Use the term and pronoun preferred by the person in question..."

I identify as Galactic Emporer Smitty, but Your Cosmic Majesty will do.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 18:00

However the change is not as important as I thought

While it now says this

it may also be appropriate to refer to a transition to make sense of some stories

It also says this

Use the term and pronoun preferred by the person in question

(complete submission to self ID)

And this

if that’s unknown – apply that which fits with the way the person lives publicly

Which is basically instructing reporters to assume people's gender from which stereotypes they fulfil rather than report what sex they are

So it's all still pretty rubbish

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Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 17:56

Just to be clear, the change is :

This
if in any doubt, ask the person themselves how they would like to be described

Is removed and replaced by

Try to ask or find out which term a person prefers

This

we would generally refer to a trans person by their current identity only (unless reporting on someone making their transition public)

has been removed

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Micaela64 · 27/01/2019 12:59

I like that it says "differs from their sex at birth" and not "their assigned sex at birth"

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 10:37

@R0WANTREES there was a thread debunking popular misconceptions about illegality or otherwise of deadnaming etc. I have been trying to find it. Can you help. Search algorithms are taking me to things like 'mumsnet supports illegal abrtions'. Honestly the whole tech world is against wonens rights.

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Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 09:38

Thanks Jacky. It's not a crime to report they are trans anyway, or give their old name. People seem to treat it as if its a crime.

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JackyHolyoake · 27/01/2019 06:28

The GRA 2004 specifically removes the privacy requirement in relation to matters of crime; see Section 22: Prohibition on disclosure of information, clause 4:

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7/section/22

thegreatbeyond · 27/01/2019 02:03

Trans women seem to commit more crimes than women or trans men. So it's accurate.

BoreOfWhabylon · 27/01/2019 01:41

I'm willing to bet that there has been an almighty battle behind the scenes.

The kaleidoscope is shifting.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 27/01/2019 01:33

Y it must do. They can hardly bring themselves to say it outright but they've given permission for reporters to refer to a trans person's biological sex.

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CandleConcerto · 26/01/2019 23:34

This is good. Clumsy wording. I’d expect better. I assume ‘physical development’ means they can use male-bodied?

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 23:30

We can point to these guidelines when we complain.

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Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 23:29

I thinks it's a big improvement on the previous unquestioning Pro self ID guidance.

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ErrolTheDragon · 26/01/2019 23:23

Well, hallelujah for avoiding the dreadful 'assigned male at birth' nonsense.

We can pick holes in it, but I reckon they're reasonable guidelines.

2rebecca · 26/01/2019 23:17

If it's a traffic incident I don't care if sex or gender identity. I definitely don't care if someone is a parent or grandparent but the media love to put that in as though people who have proven their fertility are more valued and need to have that recognised.
If someone is being assaulted or killed or doing the assaulting or killing then their sex matters

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 21:58

Yes I think we are violently agreeing - a lot of stuff gets reported that isn't relevant. It's just information. If it's not accurate, it's not information. So why include at all when it's wrong?

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OlennasWimple · 26/01/2019 21:51

Charlie - I do agree! I was just probing theotherPamAyres' suggestion that someone's trans status was always relevant when reporting a crime.

I agree that it always is when reporting a violent crime, sexual assault (especially rape), grooming, fraud etc. Ie serious public safety crimes, where it's important for society to know who has committed these so that they can take steps to keep themselves safe.

I was trying to think of a crime where physical size and strength doesn't matter, and where there isn't the same public interest in knowing who the individual is. If someone is charged with failing to stop at the scene of a collision (a criminal offence), I'm not sure what the public interest is in knowing that they are (or are not) trans.

As I say, thinking out loud

merrymouse · 26/01/2019 20:03

Use sex to refer to a person’s physical development and gender to describe how they identify themselves.

What is 'physical development'?

What if you don't have a gender identity?

How does any of this relate to the law?

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 26/01/2019 19:55

It does seem like they're allowing small traces of accuracy to creep into their reporting.

Quick! Make it stop! Grin

I'd say it might still be relevant in a traffic collision: Women are more vulnerable to injury/death in accidents, and men are more likely to be the cause of serious accidents, and to be driving in a dangerous manner.

Dragon3 · 26/01/2019 19:52

I think that it might be relevant in a traffic collision. Certainly if there is any evidence that male/female drivers have different risk profiles.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 19:41

Better to say 'driver' or 'motorist'

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Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 19:33

Olenna, my point of view is, reporting basic facts is meat and drink, age, name, sex, address, married, single, parent job etc. There's no point in saying 35 if they're 45, live in Leeds if theylive in London, work in a pub if they work in a factory, are a woman if they're a man. Just pointless.

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theOtherPamAyres · 26/01/2019 19:14

What about a traffic collision?

What crime has been committed?

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