Complaint
This bulletin included a report that the World鈥檚 Strongest Woman competition had been won by a British athlete 鈥渁fter it emerged the original winner was not eligible because she was transgender鈥. A listener complained that the report was inaccurate in describing the original winner as 鈥渢谤补苍蝉驳别苍诲别谤鈥 (and elsewhere 鈥渂iologically male鈥) when it should simply have said 鈥渕补濒别鈥, and that its use of feminine pronouns in connection with the original winner indicated pro-trans bias. Another listener complained that the term 鈥渢谤补苍蝉驳别苍诲别谤鈥 was misleading because it excluded trans men who, because they were biologically female, would have been eligible to take part in the contest. The ECU considered the complaints in the light of the 91福利社鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The 91福利社 acknowledges that gender identity is a controversial topic, and that no choice of terminology is likely to satisfy all viewpoints. The policy of 91福利社 News is therefore to use language which is helpful to the audience鈥檚 understanding in the context of the facts of the particular story. In this instance the choice of terminology made clear to listeners that the previous winner, though now identifying as female, was recorded as male at birth, and was duly accurate in the context. The use of female pronouns simply reflected the previous winner鈥檚 self-identification and did not indicate pro-trans bias. The ECU accepted the point that a trans man would have been eligible to compete, but saw no prospect of listeners being misled by the use of the term 鈥渢谤补苍蝉驳别苍诲别谤鈥 in a context where it was entirely clear that it applied to someone recorded as male at birth but now identifying as female.
Not upheld