Issue of the day Woman’s Hour ‘trans’ row

IT has been an iconic feature of Britain’s airwaves for 75 years, long focusing on issues of interest to – as its name makes clear – women. But Woman’s Hour has become embroiled in a “trans” row.

It’s a historic programme?

It launched in 1946, championing issues for women.

What happened?

Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour presenter Emma Barnett was discussing the Radio 4 general knowledge quiz, Brain of Britain, in which listeners battle their way to the final and aim for the title. The quiz’s presenter, Russell Davies, said it was an “all-woman” final for the first time for the 69th Brain of Britain decider this week, while Ms Barnett described it as a “historic” occasion.

And?

The BBC Woman’s Hour Twitter page promoted “the rise of women in quizzing”, linking to the edition of the programme, saying: “For the first time in its 55 year history, Brain of Britain had its first ever all-woman final. Emma Barnett is joined by the 2022 champion, Sarah Trevarthen…”

So, what’s the issue?

A number of furious listeners protested over the declarations that it was an “all-woman” final after it emerged that one of the finalists – former Mastermind contestant Emma Laslett – is a trans woman. The charity worker, from Milton Keynes, has twice appeared on the longrunning television quiz show, most recently in 2020, taking question on the specialist subject of the 1969 Stonewall riots. An online profile self-describes the quiz enthusiast as a “disability activist, slightly recovered wrestling nerd, sometime voice actress, frequent quizzer and full-time queer trans lady from the UK (she/they)”.

What has the reaction been? Twitter comments included, “Lies from BBC Woman’s Hour and more lies”; another wrote: “Do you realise how spiteful this gaslighting is to many women? Trumpeting an ‘all-woman final’ with a man in it?” Maya Forstater, of campaign organisation Sex Matters, said: “The sad thing is that whenever the first Brain of Britain contest with four female contestants really does happen it will go unremarked.” And on Mumsnet, one user wrote: “I expected better from Emma Barnett.”

Any supporting the claim?

One tweeter wrote that “no-one took anyone’s space…everyone is there on their own terms, by winning their heats.”

What did Woman’s Hour say?

“The BBC has confirmed: We can clarify that Brain of Britain’s list of women finalists included a trans woman, a detail which was not made available to the Woman’s Hour team when they covered the story.”