R0wantrees Sun 01-Jul-18 16:24:54

From the Fairplay For Women Open letter to Tony Hall -BBC Director General (see tweet above):

fairplayforwomen.com/open-letter-to-bbc/



(extract)

"Transwomen are women” is opinion not fact

We do not feel the BBC has given due weight to such critical and far reaching issues that have the potential to affect every woman and girl in Britain today. And none of these questions can be even considered in a political debate if the conversation starts from the assumption that transwomen are exactly the same as biological women.



We understand this is a complicated and sensitive subject. We are firmly for respectful debate, and have no wish to unnecessarily offend. But too much is at stake here for too many women, and we must be able to have a full and frank debate as a nation. We cannot do that if assertions are presented as though they are fact, uncritically and without question.



The essence of our concern is that the BBC, consciously or otherwise, appears to be accepting and reporting as facts things that are in fact the subject of contention. The manner in which BBC content describes and reports aspects of the debate around transgender people and their legal rights means that the BBC is effectively taking a side in that debate, instead of upholding its commitment to neutrality and balance.



The manner in which BBC content describes and reports aspects of the debate around transgender people and their legal rights could mean the BBC is effectively taking a side in that debate, instead of upholding its commitment to neutrality and balance... (continues).