Law in Action at 4pm discuss Scotland's Gender Recognition bill

[nauticant]

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00154b4

Interesting choice for IWD although don't expect fireworks. Joshua Rozenberg will probably be cautious, but in the past hasn't come across as the TWAW sort. Apart from his natural scepticism, he knows that if he came out with TWAW, when he got home he'd be needing to explain himself to Melanie Phillips.

Hmmmm 🤔🙄

Vic Valentine (Scottish Trans Alliance) was able to do a pitch in two parts with a mild question about gender dysphoria. A Scottish female academic, Professor Sharon Cowan (pronouns she/her), summarised the law and commented that the declaration will provide strong safeguarding, "a very serious undertaking". The report included excerpts from the debate in the Scottish Parliament, and from Joanna Cherry in Westminster. Cowan gave an implicit admission that legal change was being used as a means of encouraging social change.

More Cowan: there was no evidence of men using this kind of change to access single sex spaces in other countries, men will harm women anyway, no impact on the Equality Act, she's a fan of "inclusive" rape crisis centres, and she talked about "two binary genders" and needing to get away from such pigeonholing.

Rozenberg was an neutral as I would have expected.

Ugh, very one-sided. The female speaker reckons we women should just learn to get over our discomfort at transwomen in our spaces, because men can get at us anywhere anyway.... :(

It annoyed me that claims were not disputed that there was ‘no evidence’ of problems in countries with self ID with men causing harm in previously single sex spaces; and that Scotland’s women’s services such as refuges had been ‘trans inclusive’ for ten years with no issues.

That was completely one sided. The 20 second soundbite of Joanna Cherry didn't even touch the surface of the opposing side's arguments. Badly done, once again, BBC.

Well that was full on pro trans even wheeling out the "rape crisis says its fine" line when we know that they have a trans women in charge who claims that bigoted women will be re-educated (paraphrasing here as can't remember the exact wording) 🤬🤬

The bit I heard on school run was about us getting over our discomfort, very much we are the ones with the issue. Very very one sided.

We have to understand there is no problem with men in women's spaces as they can get us at home/bar anywhere anyway. Er.....

Professor Sharon Cowan "I think the fear that the gender recognition process being easier will somehow open the floodgates to increase men’s access to women in women’s segregated spaces to perpetrate violence against them, it’s understandable in some ways, but I think it’s very likely overstated."

It's not just about the violence. I agree, very one sided. I was thinking they should have asked Sarah what she thinks.

I heard some of this; I was bloody cross. So having "people who may look like men" in women's loos and changing rooms "may be triggering for some women" (so if we don't like it, it's because we are "damaged" by previous experiences; it's not a perfectly normal reaction) and as most abuse of women happens in the home, and women are also targeted in bars and clubs, why does it make a difference if transwomen (or any man who claims to be trans) can use women's single sex facilities? Well, let's just think about why we have single sex loos and changing rooms in the first place. Why might women feel more vulnerable to attack when they are in a public toilet, perhaps with no other women there, or half dressed behind a curtain in an unattended changing area? Hmm, let me think about that. Penises, superior strength, male violence and the fact that the vast majority of physical/sexual assaults on women are committed by men/male bodied people - none of this mentioned at all while I was listening.

Sharon Cowan is an activist. She's a legal professor but she's definitely an activist & has frequently dismissed women's views whenever they've been able to be heard. She's Sandy Brindley's partner - Rape Crisis Scotland CEO - and I believe was part of the group who made life very difficult for members of MBM & FWS at Edinburgh Uni.

I tried to stay open minded whilst listening on my way home from work. Every time they used sex instead of gender I shouted sex at the radio. It really didn't give a balanced view. The women's rights groups weren't even named
The changing room question wasn't answered.

Is it true though that Scottish rape centres have been inclusive of .males for 10 years,? No mention of why it was important for 16 year olds who can't wait to be rushed into this.
Disappointing.

I have submitted a complaint of bias to the BBC...

Link to BBC complaints
www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/review

I didn't know that, TensionWheels, that explains it.

That’s Scotland for you. People with their hands in government funding seems like they have discovered the pot of gold long as they toe line and repeat the mantras

I thought this was very one sided and the statement about 'let's let men into single sex spaces because women get attacked everywhere else anyway' made my blood boil.
Also, women who are uncomfortable with male-bodied people being in women only spaces need to stop having such old-fashioned views and sort out their own prejudices and stop expecting to be able to pigeonhole humans into male or female.

Grr

Had a response from BBC about my complaint

Thank you for contacting us regarding Law in Action on Radio 4, broadcast on 8 March.

The programme, presented by Joshua Rozenberg, aims to report on and discuss all the latest developments in the world of law. This episode saw discussion surrounding the newly introduced Gender Recognition bill in Scotland, highlighting that if passed it will make Scots law on what was explicitly recognised as a “controversial topic” very different from the law in the rest of the United Kingdom.

We do take many different factors into account when considering guests for our current affairs programming such as Law in Action. These can range anywhere from the availability of guests on certain days, to their relevance to the chosen topics of discussion, personal expertise, and specialist insight they may have in relation to the subject.

With that in mind, the programme heard from Shona Robison MSP, one of the law makers involved in the introduction of the bill, Vic Valentine, Policy Officer of the government-funded campaign group, Scottish Trans Alliance, and Professor Sharon Cowan from Edinburgh University. Vocal opponent of the reform, Joanna Cherry QC also featured.

The BBC is committed to what’s called ‘due impartiality’. This means that whilst not every possible viewpoint will be included in every individual report to the same extent, whether due to time constraints or other editorial reasons, we aim to equally showcase different perspectives on certain issues across all our networks, but over the course of a longer period of time.

Throughout Joshua’s interviews with both Vic and Professor Cowan he questioned them extensively on their stances and on the bill itself and what it meant in a wider context, highlighting possible caveats to its introduction. He also continually stressed the divisive nature of the bill, and made comment several times throughout about how and why others opposed certain elements of the bill and its implementation.

He at one point expressed that “Some of the questions put to the Scottish Social Justice Secretary reflected divisions in Scottish society…”, before broadcasting a clip of those questions as they were put to Ms Robison.

Whilst we appreciate your perspective and regret you felt the presentation of this subject was imbalanced, we are confident that the programme was diligently rigorous in its examination of the topic from multiple different angles, and appropriately reflected and represented the divisive nature of the bill and social conversation surrounding it.

All that being said your feedback is highly valued, and please be assured we have noted your concerns.

All complaints are sent to senior management and the relevant programme teams for review, and we’ve included your points in our daily overnight audience feedback report.

These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the company and ensures that your concerns have been seen by the right people quickly. This helps inform their decisions about current and future content.

Thanks again for taking the time to get in touch.