The BBC scrapped male pronouns in reference to an alleged rapist who claimed to be a woman, it has been revealed.
In an article last year, the BBC changed a quote from an anonymous victim by replacing all mentions of “he” and “him” with “they” and “them”.
Senior journalists said it displays how the BBC’s style guide, which instructs the use of preferred pronouns, conflicts with the corporation’s duties of accuracy and impartiality.
‘Shocking’
Angela Wild, co-founder of homosexual lobby group Get The L Out, slammed the BBC for altering the quote from her study.
She said: “It’s really unethical and disrespectful to the victim. It’s a form of gaslighting for a woman who has already been through sexual violence.”
An anonymous source told The Times: “It’s quite shocking. I can’t think of any other situation where we would change the words of an alleged rape victim.”
Following complaints, the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit investigated the article but did not uphold the criticism over the removal of male pronouns.
‘Denial’
It comes as a report by think tank Policy Exchange found that key criminal justice institutions are recording offenders’ self-declared gender, rather than biological sex.
The publication highlighted that male rapists could be recorded as women, and female suspects could be searched by biological men.
The study’s author, Maureen O’Hara, said: “The introduction of self-declaration of ‘gender identity’ has taken place without foundation in law, and in the absence of democratic scrutiny or any established political consensus.”
JK Rowling
Last month, the BBC did admit that one of its presenters was wrong to disparage JK Rowling’s views on gender self-ID.
Following an edition of Radio 4’s Front Row, in which host Tom Sutcliffe portrayed the author’s gender critical views in a negative light, the broadcaster received nearly 600 complaints.
Sutcliffe’s comments came in a discussion with Professor of Philosophy Erich Hatala Matthes on whether it is “morally permissible” to enjoy the art of people with whom we profoundly disagree.
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