BBC Two's This World aired a documentary on BBC Two at 9 PM on Thursday the 12th of January 2017, "Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best?". This was a violent and one-sided show, attacking trans youth and the trans community, featuring Dr. Zucker - fired for malpractice against trans youth. This is dangerous and we are already seeing a rise in contact with trans youth support services. For more information on this, see this twitter thread. Please support us in telling the BBC this is not acceptable.
Please note complaints should be made within 30 days of the original airing date.
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Subject: Show was biased & dangerous to vulnerable kids.
At 9 PM on Thursday the 12th of January 2017, BBC Two showed a documentary titled "Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best?". This documentary was not a balanced view of the issues at hand, and featured Dr. Kenneth Zucker, a clinician who was fired for malpractice against trans youth and for practicing what is essentially conversion therapy.
This documentary was an attack on trans youth, as well as the trans community as a whole, and should have undergone significant review by experts prior to being aired. This documentary has the potential to cause serious harm to trans youth in the UK and to cause parents to be less supportive than they otherwise may have been.
One trans youth support organisation was already reporting a significant rise in support requests within minutes of the documentary's end. Despite what Dr. Zucker himself may have said, it is a generally accepted fact that trans youth experience suicidal feelings at a higher rate than many others; the effect airing such a programme will have on vulnerable youth is incredibly dangerous.
The programme provided a very one-sided & biased view of the issues, vilifying the views of the trans community. The medical perspective provided contradicts the accepted medical standards supported by the NHS, WPATH and other international professional medical organisations.
The show offered no professional opinions to counter-balance Dr. Zucker's controversial views, and very limited analysis of the few opposing views that were shown, contrary to the BBC's mandate and mission to be impartial and inclusive.
I would like to see the BBC issue an apology for carelessly airing this documentary on what is a very sensitive and dangerous issue; and publishing sources for transgender kids and their families to get support. (For example, Mermaids [mermaidsuk.org.uk], Gendered Intelligence [genderedintelligence.co.uk] or GenderJam NI [genderjam.org.uk])
