https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/12/bbc-training-course-female-representation-trans-women/

[HooverIsAlwaysBroken]

Oh no, women at BBC upset that course spaces are taken by transwomen….”changes the vibe apparently” given the stance of BBC, who could have anticipated this?

(sorry if I am being cynical here)

Strange usually its the Mail stealing stories from the Telegraph. I didn't post the link because I thought nothing new here. But as the article isn't behind a paywall this is the DM version https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12738299/BBC-gender-row-training-course-created-increase-number-female-production-staff-opened-trans-women.html

If you go to https://archive.ph and paste in the Telegraph link you should get the whole article from the DT https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/12/bbc-training-course-female-representation-trans-women/

Jolly good. BBC women getting stroppy.

"The BBC has opened a specialised training course aimed at helping female representation at the broadcaster to include trans women.

The six-day course, titled BBC: Female Self-Shooters, is run by the National Film and Television School ... in conjunction with the corporation to increase the number of female camera operator staff at the company, in a field that is typically male-dominated.

An advert that was shared at the corporation said: 'Aimed at female (and those identifying as female) TV producers or those at producer level, who will be in a position to use the acquired skills after the training'.

....

Female BBC staff are understood to be 'cross and upset' that the scheme will allow non-biological women to apply .... and some have called for a separate female-only course."

(Non-biological women, FFS).

I'm glad to see the women raise the issue of men changing the vibe and focus of any group, which is so true. Far be it from me to suggest that males participating in such groups might be wanting to shift the focus to themselves, though.

Bloody BBC.

https://archive.ph/lQBGE

I am always supportive of women. But isn’t this the news agency who doesn’t believe in single sex rape counselling- I mean TWAW? Annoying when your luxury beliefs suddenly become in any way inconvenient for yourself….

Surely this is discriminatory. You are allowed to have 'positive action' under Equality Law if it is to meet a legitimate aim and is based on a protected characteristic. If the BBC have identified a lack of females in a certain area and want to increase representation then they could offer training to those who are of the female sex. To offer it to those who identify as female is discriminatory as some males can apply and some cannot (and women who do not believe themselves to be women would be excluded I assume).

@HooverIsAlwaysBroken I also work somewhere where the official management line is that TWAW. That doesn't mean that everyone who works there also believes that. It's very difficult to raise these kind of issues when you know the response you will get and that it will 'out you', but it is getting easier the more people who speak out.

Oh dear.

Who could have anticipated this?

If the BBC have identified a lack of females in a certain area and want to increase representation then they could offer training to those who are of the female sex.

As always with these situations if the organisers think TWAW there isn't much you can do, unless you have a union that is prepared to make a case that it is sex discrimination. ie that the under represented group are biological females.

I must admit I thought Positive Discrimination wasn't legal in the UK, but apparently Positive Action is legal.

More details here, aimed at employers, but useful for employees to know.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers/positive-action-in-the-workplace

From the Mail article:

A BBC Spokesperson said : 'This is a National Film and Television School course supported by the BBC to increase the diversity of under-represented groups in the industry that has been running for several years.'

I wonder whether anyone at the BBC has actually bothered to check whether men who claim they are women are actually under-represented in this particular field. People who claim they are trans were very much over represented at management level a few years back - 4% was the quoted figure. 2% over the whole of the BBC.

Wonder whether the genuinely under-represented women could bring a court case, given each man on the course is presumably displacing a woman.