BBC responds to backlash to article about lesbians being pressured into sex by some trans women

[FindTheTruth]

BBC spokesperson said: “The article looks at a complex subject from different perspectives and acknowledges it is difficult to assess the extent of the issue.

“It includes testimony from a range of different sources and provides appropriate context. It went through our rigorous editorial processes.

“It is important that journalism looks at issues - even where there are strongly held positions. The BBC is here to ensure debate and to make sure a wide a range of voices are heard.”

attitude.co.uk/article/bbc-responds-to-backlash-to-article-about-lesbians-being-pressured-into-sex-by-some-trans-women-1/26090/

@VladmirsPoutine

PickAChew I don't believe in the current dogma TWAW, but equally I don't see trans people, or more specifically trans women, as essentially biological men playing make believe. But reading that article you'd be forgiven for thinking trans women (particularly) are all miscreant abusers.

How could the article have been written differently?

Do you think it shouldn’t have been written at all?

But reading that article you'd be forgiven for thinking trans women (particularly) are all miscreant abusers.

Was there anything in the article to suggest all men who say they are women act like this? I didn't notice it. In fact it had men who say they are women stating that they thought it was a bad thing.

I don't think the media should only do good news stories for minorities, the media should aim for a balanced picture of reality.

But reading that article you'd be forgiven for thinking trans women (particularly) are all miscreant abusers

Only if your comprehension of plain English is extremely low.

[quote Thefartingsofaofdenmarkstreet]It's on the BBC news app now

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59074096[/quote]
Well played BBC. Quote the madness and hyperbole of the open letter directly, refuse to capitulate to the demand for a grovelling apology and then link to the original article so that it's back on the main news screen again (having been hidden for a couple of days). Result? Even more people will read it and be scratching their heads wondering what sort of a person would want to silence the voices of rape victims 👍

Echoing those suggestions above to add your comments:

Compliments to the BBC are needed to counter a mass TRA complaints campaign with 500 complaints yesterday alone about this article.

It will help the BBC seniors who signed off on it to have this quantitate and qualitative evidence to hand for their conversations with OfCom and MP's.

If you've not already done so can you send positive feedback on the article to the BBC here http://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comments-feedback

This is the link to the article to paste into the BBC feedback form:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-57853385.amp

You could 1) say you've been aware of this for a long time, 2) say you've read the whole article (unlike the complainers) and 3) Use keywords 'Impartiality' and 'Impartial' as impartiality is a performance measure for director general Tim Davie.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-57853385

Imagine reading an article about women’s actual experiences of being raped, coerced and pressured into unwanted sex, then having the choice between responding with “this is unacceptable, we need to make it clear we don’t condone any member of our community who treats a woman like this” or with “these so-called rape victims are bigots who are probably making it up anyway because this never happens” and choosing the second option.

WTF??

@OnlyTheTitosaurusOfTheIceberg

Imagine reading an article about women’s actual experiences of being raped, coerced and pressured into unwanted sex, then having the choice between responding with “this is unacceptable, we need to make it clear we don’t condone any member of our community who treats a woman like this” or with “these so-called rape victims are bigots who are probably making it up anyway because this never happens” and choosing the second option.

WTF??

If it was, say, members of a football team that was being spoken about, women claiming that team members had forced them into unwanted sex, the other members of the team would be standing up to condemn it. And members of other teams would be saying how shocking it is. Well, I’d like to think so anyway. Or if it was members of a minority race or religion then you can bet leaders of that religion would be saying how they think this is dreadful etc. But to take the side of ‘why are you saying that all __ are rapists’ is just dreadful.

The worst thing about (transgender) men's violence against women is it makes (transgender) men look bad.

@LastSummerHere isn't the worst thing the damage to women?

It's an own goal for the trans group, and unless they mobilise to request third spaces instead of women's spaces they will continue to look like bullies.

Enough4me

It's one of the rules of misogyny - The worst thing about male violence (against women) is that it makes men look bad

4w.pub/the-rules-of-misogyny/

I saw a comment on Twitter from a genderwoo person who I know and who is female, saying that what’s going on is probably just that the lesbians find the transwomen attractive and don’t feel comfortable about it, so they hurl accusations.

“You love it really” made woke :(

But reading that article you'd be forgiven for thinking trans women (particularly) are all miscreant abusers

Do you feel this when reading women’s experiences with rape and sexual assault by males in general?

Why do you think you feel differently with this article? What is the difference in your mind that made you jump to that conclusion?

Excellent point helleofabore

I am so so so disappointed in Ben Bradshaw. Disappointed and shocked.

A further look at his timeline also reveals he supports the treatment Kathleen Stock has received

I am not a constituent. I have met him previously and had interesting discussions in which he appeared to be a thoughtful man. I am truly shocked that he's made such unkind statements.

[quote Enough4me]@LastSummerHere isn't the worst thing the damage to women?

It's an own goal for the trans group, and unless they mobilise to request third spaces instead of women's spaces they will continue to look like bullies.[/quote]

Yes of course....sorry, I was referring to one of the rules of misogyny, where misogynistic men would prefer women shut up about their experiences because it makes them look and feel bad.

[quote NancyDrawed]Enough4me

It's one of the rules of misogyny - The worst thing about male violence (against women) is that it makes men look bad

4w.pub/the-rules-of-misogyny/[/quote]

Cheers Nancy.

@MrsMadderRose

I saw a comment on Twitter from a genderwoo person who I know and who is female, saying that what’s going on is probably just that the lesbians find the transwomen attractive and don’t feel comfortable about it, so they hurl accusations.

“You love it really” made woke :(

Do these people even hear themselves? They would prefer to twist themselves in knots to keep pretending these men are all Hayley Croppers rather than listen to women and face up to the truth.

I've worked with lesbians who have reported this to me. In my case there was no report of actual assault but of the fear of the pressure. The pressure they're under to not admit that lesbian means same sex attracted. They don't feel able to restate that for fear of being ostracised. They cannot date, socialise etc without that sense of pressure to avoid confrontation re their sexuality and its boundaries.

Lesbian women living in fear and constantly feeling under threat of abuse and ostracisation if they talk honestly about their sexuality. Who supports that?

Ben Bradshaw MP :(

jb7445 your poor neighbours

The only MPs I’ve seen supporting the right of the BBC to report on this and to openly support Dr Stock have been Tories.

Not remotely surprised by Ben Bradshaw tbh - a gay man in a long term civil partnership with no skin at all in the game whose constituency includes the university of exeter which is a Sussex type uni. He’s never going to prioritise women

Nice.

It is better not to talk about it according to Dr Finn Mackay….

He's a gay man though - surely the concept of same sex attraction is easy for him to understand?!

I am pleased the BBC have held their nerve though. Maybe we finally have some grown ups in the room?

I cannot imagine being attracted to a man who presents in a feminine way

That depends what we mean by "feminine way". It's not my usual type, but I have been attracted before to men who people might consider present in a more androgynous way and play with fashion etc. And had a serious relationship with one for several years in my 20s. So no. In this context I am only ruling out MTF trans people themselves, males who claim they are actually women or not quite men rather than men who like flouncy clothes. And I don't think there are many "GC" MTF trans people, tbh.