BBC Radio Kent blasted for running poll on whether gay cure therapies should be banned
By Joshua Haigh
BBC Radio Kent has been slammed for running a poll about gay cure therapy on social media.
The regional radio broadcaster took to Twitter this morning to ask followers whether gay cure therapies should be banned. Conversion therapy involves counselling people to ‘reject’ their homosexuality and live straight lives. LGBT+ people may be forced to undergo the therapy, or feel that they have to due to religious views.
The station asked: “TV Doctor Dr Ranj has told breakfast gay conversion therapy is akin to psychological abuse – should have conversion therapy be banned?”
Outrage quickly spread across Twitter, and the BBC have since deleted the offensive poll, but not before the tweet was screenshotted by numerous angry followers.
One annoyed user wrote: “I’m tired of the mainstream press debating the right of queer people to exist free from fucking torture. it’s not a fun little game”.
Should racist attacks be banned?
Should domestic abuse be banned?
What kind of question is this? It doesn’t need answering. It IS wrong.
— Ryan Brown (@Toadsanime) October 20, 2017
I’m tired of the mainstream press debating the right of queer people to exist free from fucking torture. it’s not a fun little game.
— Michael Segalov (@MikeSegalov) October 20, 2017
I called @GMB out on this so it is only fair I do the same for @BBCRADIOKENT. Shame on you. This is not a topic for discussion. #fb pic.twitter.com/UTZTn8sGgP
— Peter Ruddick (@ruddick) October 20, 2017
Hello @BBCRadioKent what are you doing. pic.twitter.com/6O9Ggr5zTr
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) October 20, 2017
Attitude has approached BBC Radio Kent for comment.
The BBC aren’t the first to be criticised for their approach to discussing gay cure therapy topics.
Dr Michael Davidson appeared on GMB last month in order to discuss recent findings about the practice of the therapy in the UK.
Social media was outraged by the decision to even allow his views to be given a platform, and OfCom received a record number of complains about the segment.