Matt Brittin, the BBC’s Director-General, told a staff town hall on Thursday, November 12, that the corporation’s poppy-wearing guidelines are “something which we always need to kind of have a look at,” after a staff comment with more than 100 upvotes called it “hypocritical” that the BBC blurs trans symbols on air while presenters are allowed to wear poppies to commemorate the war dead in the lead-up to Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.
In leaked audio of the meeting, Brittin said: “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.” He added: “We have to evolve our standards in line with how society is evolving,” as if to suggest that advertising your support for gender ideology is now on a par with commemorating the country’s war dead in terms of universal acceptability.
Staff also complained about the cancellation of Drag Race UK and asked for “anti-transphobia training.” Brittin said the BBC was “definitely not an anti-LGBTQ+ organisation.”
The incidents in question involved a pro-transgenderism “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt worn by actress Bethany Antonia on Strictly Come Dancing and Pride pins on University Challenge being blurred, in line with the BBC’s loosely observed obligations to avoid showcasing brands and to be politically impartial.
The BBC’s own guidance for this year said poppies “may be worn on screen, for those wishing to do so,” between October 24 and November 11.
