BC tweaks two articles to replace phrase ‘assigned female at birth’ with ‘women’

Top BBC executives intervened to tweak an article written by a staffer who used the phrase ‘assigned female at birth’ to describe women.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC’s director of nations, reportedly requested ‘women’ replace the phrase ‘assigned female at birth’ in a March 26 feature on endometriosis.

Initially the piece had described the ‘heavy periods’, ‘debilitating pain’ and ‘infertility’ that can affect one in 10 people who ‘are assigned female at birth’. This was later tweaked to ‘women’.  

The Corporation’s official explanation for making the change was because the journalist had interviewed two women, but stronger reservations was shared by senior BBC staff.

According to the Times, internal information show readers’ complaints about the article increased after the phrasing was edited.

Originally, the March 26 article said endometriosis affected one in 10 people ‘of any age in the UK, who are assigned female at birth’. This has since been changed to ‘women’

One insider told the Times: ‘Management saw the language and thought the change was appropriate’.

A second source continued: ‘I think management has woken up to this and if they’re willing to take on idiots, that’s good’.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, (above) the BBC’s director of nations, reportedly requested ‘women’ replace the phrase ‘assigned female at birth’ in a March 26 feature about endometriosis

The piece about alleged murderer Harvey Marcelin, (above) from New York City, was amended after publication to reveal she was in fact male-bodied and had recently started identifying as the opposite sex

Another article was recently updated about a suspected serial killer to make clear she had only recently started identifying as a transgender woman.

The piece about alleged murderer Harvey Marcelin, from New York City, was amended after publication to reveal she was in fact male-bodied and had recently started identifying as the opposite sex. 

Marcelin, who killed two women in 1963 and 1984, was charged with murder, criminal tampering of evidence and concealment of a human corpse.