The BBC has come under fire for promoting the use of breast binders in a programme aimed at young people.
During the BBC Three programme ‘The Unshockable Dr Ronx’, Frankie, 17, reveals she wears a breast binder but that it is causing her medical issues.
Breast binders are worn by women to make them appear more masculine by compressing the chest in an attempt to hinder breast development.
Breathing difficulties
Frankie explained to Dr Ronx that she has difficulty breathing while wearing the binder, that her back has become hunched, and that her ribs sometimes pop out of place as she walks.
She said: “I can’t walk a lot, I can’t run a lot. I can’t do a lot of exercise. It compresses my chest so much that I just can’t breathe properly, and I can’t really leave the house without it.”
“This is a practice which should not be promoted to teenage girls.”Stephanie Davies-Arai, Transgender Trend
Rather than investigating Frankie’s reasons for wanting to wear a binder, Dr Ronx decides she is simply wearing one which is two sizes too small.
She recommends Frankie see her GP and ask to be referred to a gender clinic, and advises viewers they can also self-refer to a gender clinic, or can seek out advice from controversial trans-activist organisations such as Gendered Intelligence.
Harmful
Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of parent group Transgender Trend, said: “This is a practice which should not be promoted to teenage girls.
“This is often a body-hatred issue, and the BBC is proposing a solution which harms the body.”
The broadcaster was also criticised for failing to provide an alternative to breast binding.
The BBC defended Dr Ronx, saying the decision to respect the teenager’s choice to wear a binder was correct, and that doing so will be good for Frankie’s mental health.
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