Rosie Jones slams BBC article about lesbians ‘pressured into sex by some trans women’
"That that piece of trash is not the consensus of all gay women"
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Attitude
Rosie Jones has responded with style to an article about lesbian women published by the BBC today headlined: “We’re being pressured into sex by some trans women.”
The report, which opens with the question, ‘is a lesbian transphobic if she does not want to have sex with trans women?’ quotes several anonymous interviewees on the subject.
Jones, who is a lesbian, addressed the piece on Twitter, calling it “transphobic.”
“Piece of trash”
The star said in a tweet: “Thrilled to see that lesbians were trending, until I read why.
“I am not sharing the transphobic article, but I AM going to say that that piece of trash is not the consensus of all gay women.”
Rosie, who won the Comedy Award at the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, signed off: “Next time when ‘lesbians’ are trending, can it just be loads of fit pictures of me?”
Thrilled to see that lesbians were trending, until I read why. I am not sharing the transphobic article, but I AM going to say that that piece of trash is not the consensus of all gay women. Next time when ‘lesbians’ are trending, can it just be loads of fit pictures of me?
— Rosie Jones (@josierones) October 26, 2021
One passage in the BBC article quotes a case study as saying: “I can hear their male vocal chords. I can see their male jawline. I know, under their clothes, there is male genitalia. These are physical realities, that, as a woman who likes women, you can’t just ignore.”
Another reads: “I just don’t possess the capacity to be sexually attracted to people who are biologically male, regardless of how they identify.”
The article also cites a survey of 80 lesbians, of which 56% of respondents said they have been ‘pressured or coerced to accept a trans women as a sexual partner.’
Stonewall co-founder Lisa Power also addressed the article on Twitter, writing: “I’ve been a lesbian for almost 50 years. I’ve known trans women, mostly lesbians, all that time. None have ever ‘pressured’ anyone into sex that I know of. This grubby fantasy is identical to the straight sex fears of the 80s about gay people.”
Journalist Owen Jones also chimed in, saying: “It’s beyond belief that the BBC published such unbelievably appalling journalism, based on no reliable data and the testimonies of anti-trans activists.
“You’d expect to find this sort of conspiratorial hate on the darkest recesses of the internet, not on the BBC.”
Attitude has approached the BBC for comment.
Update
In a statement provided to Attitude after this story was published, a BBC spokesperson said: “The article looks at a complex subject from different perspectives and acknowledges it is difficult to assess the extent of the issue.
“It includes testimony from a range of different sources and provides appropriate context. It went through our rigorous editorial processes.
“It is important that journalism looks at issues – even where there are strongly held positions. The BBC is here to ensure debate and to make sure a wide a range of voices are heard.”