BBC director general Matt Brittin reportedly answered staff questions about the decision to edit out trans ally slogans, including on Strictly Come Dancing star Bethany Antonia's T-shirt.
During a training montage for Bethany and her partner Nancy Xu last month, the House of the Dragon actress wore a white T-shirt that originally had 'Protect the Dolls' written across the front, but it was blurred in the live broadcast. 'Dolls' is an affectionate term for trans women within the LGBTQ+ community, and the T-shirt was first designed by Conner Ives, with profits going to the charity Trans Lifeline.
Director general's response
Brittin reportedly told BBC staff that the public service broadcaster is 'not an anti-LGBTQ+ organisation' after facing angry questions about such removals during a town hall meeting on Thursday. He is said to have been asked several questions about the approach to LGBTQ+ issues and content, according to a report in Deadline.
The removal of the LGBTQ+ symbols is said to have been compared with the BBC policy that news presenters wear Royal British Legion Poppy badges in the lead-up to Remembrance Day. In one staff comment, which reportedly received over 100 upvotes in the internal conference call, they added: 'Is this not hypocritical and suggests the BBC is an anti-LGBT organisation (and particularly the T part of LGBT)?'
Staff concerns over inclusivity
Brittin is said to have responded that the BBC 'wants to be inclusive of everyone', according to audio obtained by Deadline. He continued: 'There is a challenge, I think, for an organisation which has editorial due impartiality at its heart, between how we do our journalism and reporting, and what the standards we hold our presentation of news in particular to, and the inclusive values of an organisation that is one where everyone can thrive. And sometimes those are in conflict.'
'We have very high bar editorial guidelines, which is where things like the poppy wearing comes from… But that's something which we always need to kind of have a look at. We have to evolve our standards in line with how society is evolving.'
However, his answer reportedly did not ameliorate the feeling among some staff that the BBC is 'an anti-trans organisation', with trans people and allies who perceive it as such and as a result are unwilling to pay the licence fee. Such sentiments were reportedly articulated in the town hall's comments section.
Further questions and context
Employees are also said to have referenced the recent decisions to axe RuPaul's Drag Race UK and queer dating show I Kissed a Girl/Boy in their questioning, as the loss of both from the BBC slate was met with outcry from the LGBTQ+ community.
The publication also reported that Brittin referred to internal training the BBC is rolling out on anti-semitism and anti-Islamophobia, which prompted questioning on when the broadcaster will also put in place anti-transphobia training.
When Metro approached the BBC for comment on the editing of Antonia's T-shirt last month, a spokesperson said: 'As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question.' Metro contacted the BBC for further comment on this story.
