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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Dave McMullan from BBCR4: "I'd never put any trans women on alongside some horrific terf" [*name edited by MNHQ]

169 replies

SunsetBeetch · 17/07/2019 23:37

sigh

twitter.com/radiosdavemac/status/1151108776981872641?s=19

"I will add that I’ve never put any trans woman on alongside some horrifc TERF. I vetoed it , in fact. Partly just instinct but also cos I didn’t quite understand what was going on with the anti-trans at the time.
I’m now reasonably good at the GRA consultation"

Further on in the thread (in which a number of people try to reason with him, including trans woman Debbie Hayton), he mentions his trans friend Jenny, who seems to have influenced his views, which is understandable I suppose. But still not appropriate behaviour for an employee of the supposed unbiased (ha!) BBC.

OP posts:
PencilsInSpace · 18/07/2019 22:56

theunrivalledjoysofparenting - So he’s broken the BBC’s guidelines on social media conduct. That’s worth a complaint.

It is. He's done a lot wrong on all sorts of levels. Go for it and don't give up!

He’s either really ill or just not very bright.

Or he's just a bog standard misogynist.

Coyoacan · 19/07/2019 02:47

He’s either really ill or just not very bright.

He has been committing the offense for heaven knows how long; the only thing he did this week was think that he could get brownie points by boasting about it.

truthisarevolutionaryact · 19/07/2019 08:36

I will find time today to make a complaint about this - a pointless one to the BBC as they just dismiss women's complaints about all this but also one to Ofcom.
Don't let this drop as it's a classic example of the BBC's bias - all writ large.

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 19/07/2019 08:37

He can be a hideous bigot and a bit poorly. Even hideous bigots get the sniffles. Poor lamb. Or is this the Roseanne Barr defence? Night Nurse made me do it?

theunrivalledjoysofparenting · 19/07/2019 08:51

He’s either really ill or just not very bright.

Or pissed, of course. Added to being a mysogynist!*

He has been committing the offense for heaven knows how long; the only thing he did this week was think that he could get brownie points by boasting about it.

I hadn't heard of him until this week. But his Twitter posting history shows he doesn't proofread his posts and his literacy standards are poor. Odd for someone in his job.

JustAnotherWoman · 19/07/2019 09:51

I guess now I know why I've had to turn the today programme off in a rage every time they've touched on the 'trans debate' Angry

WomanBornNotWorn · 19/07/2019 12:02

Let's all keep the text of our complaints plus BBC replies and coordinate here if we need to take it to Ofcom

MrsSnippyPants · 19/07/2019 15:42

I have had a response to my complaint. It's shit.

"Thanks for contacting us with your reaction to a recent tweet from a member of BBC staff.

We raised your concerns about Dave McMullan's online comments with senior staff at BBC News and the Today programme, who respond:

"Thank you for getting in touch about the tweet by a member of the Today programme staff. The staff member concerned realises his comments were inappropriate - he deleted the tweet before apologising for the offence caused, and explained he had been ill recently. We regularly speak to staff about the right tone and content for their social media profiles, we’ve taken the opportunity to do so again here following this example.

We should emphasise that the suggestion that certain categories of guest have not appeared on the Today programme is incorrect. We have a strong track record in covering the debate over transgender rights and gender recognition, including a special report from John Humphrys hearing from a wide range of viewpoints. More recently we've had a number of interviews on the subject of transgender athletes, with contributors including Martina Navratilova, Joanna Harper, Rachel McKinnon and Sharron Davies.

Elsewhere, BBC News has examined a wide range of transgender stories from different perspectives.

For example, the new BBC News LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte looked at the new ban on transgender people entering the US military, while the BBC News website covered the help offered by the NHS to children experiencing gender identity issues.

We hope this helps to answer your concerns."

We make comments like yours available to the relevant teams and senior executives on our daily report. Audience reaction helps to ensure we’re aware of how issues like this affect people.

Kind Regards

BBC Complaints Team"

AnotherAdultHumanFemale · 19/07/2019 15:50

I can't stand the way organisations reply to complaints like this. It always comes down to:

'Thanks for wasting your time complaining. We know this guy is a misogynist, so what, none of us cares. We've spoken to him about hiding his misogyny better in future so he shouldn't tweet anything else like that, but he'll keep influencing the organisation and making things difficult and unfair for women. You're welcome to complain about that too, but as you can see, we don't actually care so we'll just reply with another message like this. Anyway, all the best, bye for now.'

Can we complain to anyone else, like Ofcom? No wonder the BBC is dreadfully biased when men like him are influencing it.

teawamutu · 19/07/2019 15:51

I got the same response, of course. And I will be taking it further.

I don't believe they can have looked into HIS OWN ADMISSION that he'd exercised bias in less than two days anything like properly, and saying they've had differing viewpoints on completely glosses over the 'GC on graveyard shift' tactic.

Mendacious twats.

HorsewithnoRegretsNonJeNeRegre · 19/07/2019 15:55

I have had a response to my complaint. It's shit.

Mine was identical. I agree with your verdict.

AlessandraAsteriti · 19/07/2019 15:56

@MrsSnippyPants
I got an identical reply. Asked them to release all emails from 2018-2019, and minutes of meetings from same period, where topic was guest appearances in trans and women rights debates. Under the FoI, so will need to reply.

MockerstheFeManist · 19/07/2019 15:57

We should emphasise that the suggestion that certain categories of guest have not appeared on the Today programme is incorrect.

Denying what you have not been accused of. The suggestion is that for one peice, DM "vetoed" a horrible terf.

And as for 'new BBC News LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte,' I think we've seen enough there.

MrsSnippyPants · 19/07/2019 16:00

"Asked them to release all emails from 2018-2019, and minutes of meetings from same period, where topic was guest appearances in trans and women rights debates. Under the FoI, so will need to reply"

Ooh nice one Alessandra

MrsSnippyPants · 19/07/2019 16:01

The fact that they think it is even about 'transgender stories' speaks volumes.......

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 19/07/2019 16:18

So they aren’t going to do anything? If he is soo ill he doesn’t know what he is saying (or is unfiltered) then maybe he is too sick to work? Is he on sick leave?

truthisarevolutionaryact · 19/07/2019 16:20

They're doubling down because one of their producers has let slip a common agenda that is biased and anti democratic. So it's 'move along, nothing to see here'.
Out and out liars.

LangCleg · 19/07/2019 16:27

Same also.

I'm escalating on the basis that he said he'd personally vetoed feminists so it's not solely about his use of the term "TERF".

LangCleg · 19/07/2019 16:28

Asked them to release all emails from 2018-2019, and minutes of meetings from same period, where topic was guest appearances in trans and women rights debates. Under the FoI, so will need to reply.

Excellent! Take it to 'em!

teawamutu · 19/07/2019 16:54

Here's my follow-up:
My original complaint concerned Today programme reporter and editor Dave McMullan, who tweeted on July 16 at 1.38pm: "I will add that I’ve never put any trans woman on alongside some horrifc TERF. I vetoed it , in fact. Partly just instinct but also cos I didn’t quite understand what was going on with the anti-trans at the time. I’m now reasonably good at the GRA consultation"

I pointed out that Mr McMullan had demonstrated clear bias in vetoing balanced views on his programmes, and admitted that he did so without actually bothering to understand the issue and simply labelling biological women's legitimate concerns as 'anti-trans'. This is utterly unacceptable, given the legitimate concerns of actual women and girls over the threats to their privacy, safety and dignity.

Your response confirmed he'd been spoken to, which is fair. But also stated "We should emphasise that the suggestion that certain categories of guest have not appeared on the Today programme is incorrect."

This is (a) partly true but (b) not answering what I actually said. I didn't say the viewpoints never appeared, but that the trans viewpoint was frequently aired with no gender-critical feminist perspective on the discussion. Two recent examples: 19-Oct-18, a debate on the GRA consultation on Today featuring ONLY a transman and a transwoman; no women.

Sat 29-Dec-18: Interview with Travis Alabanza, on his right to use women's changing rooms and other private spaces. No to minimal challenge by the presenter, absolutely no opposing views from women on why women's spaces exist and are closed to biological males.

If a gender-critical viewpoint has ever been aired on Today without the trans equivalent I would welcome examples.

A senior employee of yours has admitted he vetoed views he did not like on his programme, and from the language he used, has done so repeatedly. Coverage I have heard supports this. This is what I would like you to respond to before I escalate to Ofcom.

MrsSnippyPants · 19/07/2019 17:06

I have banged my head on the wall again too:

"You completely failed to address the fact that a BBC producer admitted vetoing voices with a gender critical point of view. (Dave McMullan tweeted; "I will add that I’ve never put any trans woman on alongside some horrifc TERF. I vetoed it , in fact. Partly just instinct but also cos I didn’t quite understand what was going on with the anti-trans at the time. I’m now reasonably good at the GRA consultation")

You claimed that "Elsewhere, BBC News has examined a wide range of transgender stories from different perspectives. " I did not ask about this, yet given you have brought it up, when have you given equal weight to the gender critical perspective? You clearly have not. You are failing to provide any balance on this issue, almost all your output across the BBC could be characterised as pro trans rights activists and as anti women. It is embedded across TV, radio and the website.

It has not been uncommon to have three or four MEN discussing this issue with not a woman in sight. Please provide the examples of GC women talking about the impact on women's rights with no opposition. You have given a lot of time to TRA voices with nobody questioning their point of view."

theunrivalledjoysofparenting · 19/07/2019 18:41

I got exactly the same response from the Beeb. What a load of bollocks!! I have never been so 'ill' that I spouted misogynistic views that I don't usually hold. What kind of illness makes you do that???

Codswallop.

Coyoacan · 19/07/2019 18:51

You lot are stars! Yeah!!!

CriticalCondition · 19/07/2019 19:18

Identical response. Quelle surprise.

But I'm not letting this go.

totalnamechanger · 19/07/2019 22:36

I have same reply (obviously). Having had ‘grease fire’ McKinnon is apparently a good defence (while McMullan was by his own admission vetoing some ‘horrific TERF’ none of whose names or actual behaviour he could recall.) Interesting Angry

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