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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:
OlennasWimple · 26/01/2019 18:31

The point is that it is ALWAYS relevant when the person commits crimes

Is it? What about a traffic collision?

(Deliberately playing devil's advocate here, to help my own thinking on this as much as anything)

feministfairy · 26/01/2019 18:24

These changes of course fly in the face of all the demands about 'deadnaming' - that act of literal violence?
Maybe the Karen Whites and Ian Huntleys have helped move the agenda to a more honest position? Maybe the activists grip on the throats of the media is loosening slightly?

theOtherPamAyres · 26/01/2019 18:21

it may be appropriate to refer to their previous identity to help the audience....

The point is that it is ALWAYS relevant when the person commits crimes, particularly crimes of violence, indecency and fraud.

It's only irrelevant on certain "human interest" stories, like winning the lottery, or finding treasure on your allotment. or having a parrot that sings like Beyonce.

AngryAttackKittens · 26/01/2019 17:58

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

feministfairy · 26/01/2019 17:56

Maybe with them being a news organisation they've realised that they have to - you know - report the news rather than make up the world as they would like it to be? Just a thought...

feministfairy · 26/01/2019 17:54

It does seem to be slightly more biologically accurate (or am I misreading this?)

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 17:52

I don't understand it. But why have they changed it? Are they under pressure?

OP posts:
feministfairy · 26/01/2019 17:51

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

Really? Is it too much biological reality or are we all wrong? These are not people attempting to appropriate the opposite sex? They're just playing and we can cheerfully refer to them by their birth sex?

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 17:43

Isn't that right though? It's an implicit acknowledgement that you can't change sex.

OP posts:
JSmitty · 26/01/2019 17:42

"Use sex to refer to a person’s physical development ..."

...No.

Try again.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 26/01/2019 17:36

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

So it refers to biological sex and how reporters can refer to it. I have no idea how significant this is. Thoughts welcome.

OP posts:
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