The BBC has changed its reporting guide on gender

[Charliethefeminist]

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

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

The kaleidoscope is shifting.

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

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

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.

@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.

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

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

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

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

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

“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.

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