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Original poster

BBC won't have links to abortion info on its Action Line

73 replies

ValWiggin · 14/02/2019 14:12

... because they believe it is a “contentious issue” and doing so might “imply the BBC supported one side or another.”

www.bpas.org/about-our-charity/press-office/press-releases/women-s-healthcare-bodies-call-on-bbc-to-reverse-stance-on-abortion-information/

I don't see how simple factual info to a legal and necessary service is "supporting one side". The link includes the letter asking that they reverse their current stance on providing links to information about abortion, co-signed by British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas), Brook, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Family Planning Association (FPA), Marie Stopes UK, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

OP posts:
Oxytocindeficient · 14/02/2019 14:16

Wow. I watched that episode, it was really good. I am constantly appalled at the decisions of the BBC. How utterly disgusting they wouldn’t give women links to information about a legal genealogical procedure. Misogynists.

Oxytocindeficient · 14/02/2019 14:17

Whoops! Gynaecological

MogPlus · 14/02/2019 14:31

It's ridiculous, especially when they are happy to have programmes like Call the Midwife showing the reality of what happens when abortions are taboo and hidden.

YippeeKayakOtherBuckets · 14/02/2019 14:32

That doesn’t make any sense. There aren’t two sides. Abortion is legal. How bizarre.

butteryellow · 14/02/2019 15:13

A 'contentious issue'? It's a completely legal medical procedure! That would be like not including info about ear syringing?

It's only contentious if you make it so by refusing to share information.

HamiltonCork · 14/02/2019 15:24

Strange how they don’t find other issues contentious. Just the ones that affect the cunty type women.

WhereYouLeftIt · 14/02/2019 15:27

Given how many programmes end with 'if you have been affected by any of the issues portrayed, please contact x for more information' (or some such rider) it is deeply inconsistent.

The BBC is worrying me lately. It's like it's been infilrtated.

FloralBuntingIsObnoxious · 14/02/2019 15:35

I'm so confused. Yes, it's contentious. It's also entirely legal. They're not being asked to sign post people to a foreign Dignitas clinic, they're being asked to provide accurate info about a legal procedure. That's a bonkers thing to refuse to do.

ZuttZeVootEeeVro · 14/02/2019 15:36

The BBC are becoming a joke.

Supplying links to a legal medical procedure isn't contentious.

LangCleg · 14/02/2019 15:56

I'm beginning to consider my licence fee, I really am.

MillytantForceit · 14/02/2019 15:59

Translation: "We've been getting threats from the wacko yanks and don't want to be fire-bombed."

userschmoozer · 14/02/2019 15:59

In direct contrast to this;
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5zvRZW3yRHjqczdwd0gv3S0/information-and-support-gender-identity

I'm considering not renewing my licence. I think I can do without it.

Ereshkigal · 14/02/2019 16:02

Strange how they don’t find other issues contentious. Just the ones that affect the cunty type women.

They certainly don't seem to mind taking sides on gender identity issues.

TheClitterati · 14/02/2019 16:03

It's really starting to piss me off how disappointing the BBC are turning out to be. What's wrong with them? Are used to be a massive fan but now they just seem to be a bunch of wankers.

R0wantrees · 14/02/2019 16:05

recent thread, OP Jeanhatchet wrote:
"This report is frightening.

Globally powerful men are determined to control women's reproductive rights and this is accelerating.

Many of them are using women to do so. They are using Conservative/Christian women to do so. Even feminists who have been "cured"."

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/13/women-bodies-brazil-jair-bolsonaro-hungary-victor-orban?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3506891-men-controlling-women-s-bodies

DonaldTwain · 14/02/2019 16:05

Good god alive our national broadcaster is run by helpless hopeless fuckwits.

DonaldTwain · 14/02/2019 16:08

what about birth control? That is contentious too, at least so far as certain intellectually less capable portions of our population are concerned. No links to those organisations either, presumably?

FloralBuntingIsObnoxious · 14/02/2019 16:22

It's nuts. I'm agog. Everything is contentious somewhere.

Original poster
ValWiggin · 14/02/2019 16:22

Indeed R0wantrees. Worrying. And angering.

There are some good comments on the twitter thread:

The BBC says it won't provide information about abortion because it can't take a stance on a "contentious" issue. But declaring it "contentious" is taking a stance.
Abortion is legal. The BBC has no business declaring it contentious.

and

#bbc if you use taxpayers money then your view of what is contentious is irrelevant - publish the correct information

mobile.twitter.com/bpas1968/status/1095991266150633472

OP posts:
HamiltonCork · 14/02/2019 16:24

I’m beginning to reconsider my license. TBh you don’t watch the bbc that much anymore. Mainly Netflix.

Etino · 14/02/2019 16:25

Bloody hell.

Time40 · 14/02/2019 16:30

Bloody hell. But they've got a link to Mermaids ... so presumably, the BBC don't see that particular sweet, lovely and helpful "charity" as contentious.

Oxytocindeficient · 14/02/2019 16:31

I mainly watch Netflix too, our teen uses iplayer though... I’m having a family meeting! Fucking BBC

ComputerSaysMo · 14/02/2019 16:36

Unbelievable. I have been a BBC booster for many years, and I’ve been really disappointed by the way they’ve handles the trans issue. I have been holding our thinking they were just not thinking it through and trying to be pro-LGBT, but this is really disturbing. They’ve thrown out their consciousness of sexism and misogyny altogether.