Broadcasters must air views that trans women are women, says Ofcom

[IwantToRetire]

Media regulator warns GB News that it cannot treat the controversy as settled despite Supreme Court victory in April.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/29/broadcasters-must-air-views-trans-women-are-women-ofcom/

https://archive.is/1KhgX

Doesn’t bother me - They can air their stupid views and shine more light on their nonsense. Doesn't make them correct. Even flat earthers get airtime every now and then. It’s about as credible a view as that. Given transwomen are men.

Interesting if Ofcom are demanding that false information is broadcast. If I’m told someone is a transwoman, the only thing I know for certain is that we’re talking about a man

Even flat earthers get airtime every now and then.

Does Ofcom insist on them getting it?

It's sick, it means they have to call rapists she if the man wants it.

The BBC doesn't present both sides, why should anyone else?

And I don't think the EQA 2010 is as narrow as they seem to think. Bloody fools

Does that mean the BBC need to broadcast the opposite view for balance when they do their TWAW bit?

cross posted!

Pretty shocking, and an indication of how deeply this gender thinking has infiltrated all of our institutions.

Does this extend to Lorraine Kelly and Boy George?

Thought not.

What next? Jews are evil? That’s not true either.

"The decision suggests broadcasters will continue to have to present both sides of the debate: those who believe there are only two sexes and those who believe a person’s gender identity can change their actual sex."

It would make a pleasant change if other channels like the BBC and Channel 4 started to "present both sides of the debate"!

I suppose this is an open invitation to complain to Ofcom about channels that continue to push the TWAW line?

This is what the BBC considers to be "balance" as far as transactivism is concerned: "We had that Hannah Barnes on once and there was that Northern Ireland podcast about Stonewall."

It says such a lot that the BBC thinks that Reality and Truth are "‘Unpalatable’ Minority And Offensive Views".

BBC Bias: Broadcaster Told It Must Represent ‘Unpalatable’ Minority And Offensive Views

"BBC staff have been told “they must represent unpalatable and offensive views” in new editorial guidelines. The guidance states that output may “require the inclusion of opinions which some […] communities or groups may argue ought not to be included, because they find them unpalatable or offensive”. Talk’s Julia Hartley-Brewer discusses the story with former BBC Trust member Richard Tait."

Is the full text of the response available? It would have been handy if OFCOM replied point-by-point. Surely it's settled that transwomen are not biologically female. Likewise, that they aren't biological women. But that's not clear in the language.

If they are stating that it's not necessarily appropriate in all instances to only refer to transwomen as men, he/him, that seems defensible. (though I would argue against it.)

Of course it's unsurprising that OFCOM is reserving as much of its own discretion (at the cost of free-speech) as possible.

Looks like It might be this FOIR:

I am requesting the following information regarding Ofcom’s guidance, regulations, advice, or policies in relation to the Broadcast Code and associated guidance for media content regulation in the UK with a focus on the use of the term "LGBT" (and its variations, such as LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, or similar terms) and its consistent components (sex, sexual orientation, and gender reassignment) as they pertain to the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. This request does not include employment or other in-person practices that Ofcom might undertake as part of your duties as an employer or public service organisation, only to those reserved for broadcast and media service provision:

1. Has Ofcom undertaken, or does it plan to undertake, a review of its regulations, guidance, advice, or policies to ensure clarity and alignment with the UK Supreme Court ruling of April 16, 2025, which clarified that "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, particularly in relation to the distinct protected characteristics of sex, sexual orientation, and gender reassignment?

2. If a review has been undertaken or is planned: a. Please provide details of the scope, timeline, and outcomes (or expected outcomes) of the review. b. Please provide copies of any internal or external correspondence, meeting minutes, or documents related to discussions about the use of the term "LGBT" (or its variations) in Ofcom’s guidance or regulations since April 16, 2025.

3. If no review has been undertaken or is planned, please confirm whether Ofcom considers its existing guidance and regulations to be fully compliant with the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the distinct nature of the protected characteristics of sex, sexual orientation, and gender reassignment.

4. Please provide any current Ofcom guidance, policies, or advice documents that specifically address the use of the term "LGBT" (or its variations) in the context of the Equality Act 2010’s protected characteristics.

Q&A are here:

www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/about-ofcom/foi/2025/june/ofcom-guidance-relating-to-the-use-of-the-term-lgbt.pdf

Trans is "my body my choice". True feminists must always support biological truth. Not "choice". How many women are not with us today because they were aborted. Life begins at fertilisation. . Sex is determined at fertilisation and is immutable. We have no credibility opposing trans but not opposing abortion first.

Gender ideology and abortion rights are not even the slightest bit connected and supporting one doesn't mean supporting the other and vice versa

Concerned that its “must” rather than “can”.

GB news will have a field day with this. It’s such an easy argument to put across and win,

A poor attempt to link two completely different issues.

That’s quite a niche view in the UK! I don’t ’oppose trans’ nor do I oppose abortion rights.

Women should (within limits) have access to safe, supported abortions. They should also have rights to single-sex spaces, services and sports where there are good reasons for those things to be sex-segregated. It’s really not that hard to understand!

Abortion kills a human being. How is that safe? How is killing a baby girl feminist? And consequences are inevitable physical and psychological for the mother and all of us. I would be interested to know if you oppose decriminalised abortion to birth for women? This is putting more women under pressure to abort at home in secret I thought the claim for abortion was always against "back street" abortion? I am on a WhatsApp group and many feminists are turning against abortion now. It was never for women's rights

Absolutely this.
'Trans' women are always actually biological men. 😬

Isn't the key word here "views"? It's not saying it must at all times be said that trans women are women, or that opposing voices can't be heard.

I expect broadcasters to be able to air a range of views including having those views challenged. "No debate" is hopefully over.

I think you need to start your own thread about this, rather than making a tenuous link on this one.
The majority of people in the UK, including feminists, support access to safe, legal abortions.

Here is the thing, ofcom is responsible for making sure most TV channels give a range of views...

The exception is the BBC, they can only 'advise' the BBC to make internal investigations.

So in this case it is their job to get news channels to air a range of views on a topic. That's what they have done, it's what separates out channels from the ones in the US.

It's not ofcoms fault the BBC are exempt from their overview and have a big old trend for social engineering topics.

being forced by the State to continue with an unwanted pregnancy can cause untold harm to all concerned

It’s almost definitely about men wanting to keep power, and show command over women. ‘Trans ideology’ demanding twaw etc works for them as it makes the waters muddy as we’ve seen. Bring in simpletons who think they are being kind.

It’s only and it’s always about the patriarchy, as it always was.