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Original poster

Homosexuality is...

35 replies

Funforeveryone · 02/03/2022 21:35

From the BBC News Style Guide:
"Homosexual means people of either sex who are attracted to people of their own gender"
So I complained about this about 7 months ago, pointing out that it went against the dictionary and medical definitions, took the word from people who are same sex attracted, etc. The BBC responded that their definition of homosexuality had been decided on by them independently while taking into account the views of others, blah blah. A non response.
I complained again, so about 6 months ago. They have finally responded without even any pretence at an attempt at justifying their definition. Any thoughts / suggestions welcome.

"We appreciate you disagree with the definition and although we have no current plans to amend it, we keep the style guide constantly under review.

This concludes Stage 1 of our complaints process. That means we can’t correspond with you further here. If you remain unhappy, you can now contact the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU). The ECU is Stage 2 of the BBC’s complaints process. You’ll need to explain why you think there’s a potential breach of standards, or if the issue is significant and should still be investigated. Please do so within 20 working days of this reply.

I also made a Freedom of Information Act request relating to this definition, but the news side of the BBC is apparently exempt from the Act, and they refused it on that basis.

OP posts:
MangyInseam · 02/03/2022 22:03

@bishophaha

"Homosexual means people of either sex who are attracted to people of their own gender"

I find this weird, partly because "of either sex" is entirely redundant, so I'm not sure why the word "sex" is brought into it? Almost seems like it's there purely to contrast with "gender".

Could equally be "people of any gender who are attracted to..." or even "people of any age/ race/ nationality..."

It seems odd to me that it acknowledges people have to be "of either sex" (even if they are non-binary) themselves but attraction is to a gender?

Yeah, it just doesn't make any sense. Beyond the issue of who is attracted to whom it's just incoherent.

I suppose it's an indication of the level they are working at. They aren't thinking through what they mean, it's some kind of dogmatic committee-speak.

Original poster
Funforeveryone · 02/03/2022 22:02

@Babadook76

I don’t get what the issue is?
Homosexuality = sexually attracted to people of the same sex. Homo comes from the Greek and means "same". This has always been the definition and is the dictionary definition. The BBC News Style Guide, which gives instructions to people who work in the news on which words to use, defines homosexuality as sexual attraction to people of the same gender. So a homosexual (gay) man is deemed to be sexually attracted to transmen. A lesbian is deemed to be sexually attracted to transwomen. Presumably the same logic applies to heterosexuality? So a hetero man is deemed to be sexually attracted to transwomen in the same way that they are sexually attracted to women? Where that leaves the huge majority of the population, who are sexually attracted to others on the basis of their sex, not their gender, I don't know. Presumably those billions of people are supposed to find new words to use. Or are they supposed to give up the retrograde habit of fancying people of a particular sex?
OP posts:
Datun · 02/03/2022 22:01

@bishophaha

"Homosexual means people of either sex who are attracted to people of their own gender"

I find this weird, partly because "of either sex" is entirely redundant, so I'm not sure why the word "sex" is brought into it? Almost seems like it's there purely to contrast with "gender".

Could equally be "people of any gender who are attracted to..." or even "people of any age/ race/ nationality..."

It seems odd to me that it acknowledges people have to be "of either sex" (even if they are non-binary) themselves but attraction is to a gender?

Well yes. If they are deciding to put the term 'of either sex' in their definition, I'd fucking love to hear their definition of what sex is in that context.

OP, you might like to ask them that. When you say of either sex, what do you mean by 'sex'?

This is another example of them using the words that everyone else understands, but they deny, in order to uphold their own fucking argument.

bishophaha · 02/03/2022 21:56

"Homosexual means people of either sex who are attracted to people of their own gender"

I find this weird, partly because "of either sex" is entirely redundant, so I'm not sure why the word "sex" is brought into it? Almost seems like it's there purely to contrast with "gender".

Could equally be "people of any gender who are attracted to..." or even "people of any age/ race/ nationality..."

It seems odd to me that it acknowledges people have to be "of either sex" (even if they are non-binary) themselves but attraction is to a gender?

Linguini · 02/03/2022 21:55

@Babadook76

I don’t get what the issue is?
Their definition means lesbians do dick. The actual definition is a person of either sex who is attracted to their own sex.

Homosexuality is same-sex attracted. Nothing else.

Datun · 02/03/2022 21:54

@Babadook76

I don’t get what the issue is?
The issue is that gender as a concept that has no actual definition. Unless you talk about presentation, which is clothes, hair, make up.

They are saying that homosexuality is a person who is attracted to someone of a similar gender. So either sex.

Which means two men going down on each other can be called lesbians. Or a heterosexual couple with six kids can be called lesbians, or gay men, depending on their 'gender identity'.

It's a made up, nonsense definition, which does not take into account the reason why homosexuals have been historically discriminated against.

Original poster
Funforeveryone · 02/03/2022 21:51

I mentioned the Equality Act in the original complaint - everything was simply ignored. Twice.

OP posts:
Babadook76 · 02/03/2022 21:49

I don’t get what the issue is?

Hoardasurass · 02/03/2022 21:47

Also I think that the Nolan report has some info on stonewall being involved with the writing the style guide

Hoardasurass · 02/03/2022 21:45

You could point out that there definition of homosexual goes against the legal definition as stated in the equality act. Also there definition not only is highly contentious is helping biological males to coerce young lesbians into having heterosexual sex which they should be aware of especially since they did an article on this exact issue

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