02 February 2024 , 17:02
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The BBC has been forced to explain, after a reporter was accused of misgendering transgender teen Brianna Ghey.
The radio segment in question was on BBC Radio Four. North of England reporter Rowan Bridge has been called out on X, formerly known as Twitter, after some people thought he said "he" rather than "she" when speaking about Brianna today.
It comes after Brianna's two killers, who have now been named as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, were issued a 22 and 20-year sentence respectively for their role in her murder.
The pair lured the transgender teen to Culcheth Linear Park, Warrington, where they subjected her to a horrific knife attack. Brianna, who was just 16, died at the scene.
Taking to X today, India Willoughby, who describes herself as the "World’s 1st Trans Newsreader", accused the reporter of misgendering the slain teen. She wrote: "This is totally unacceptable Why is your reporter misgendering Brianna Ghey? BBC Radio 4 is well-known to the trans community as the most transphobic part of the BBC - and this just confirms it. So disrespectful."
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The BBC responded to India's tweet, claiming that Rowan had used Brianna's correct pronouns, sharing a copy of the show's script to prove it. The BBC News Press Team said: "Our reporter said ‘she’ – this is the pronoun BBC News is using to refer to Brianna Ghey throughout our reporting on this case. Copy of the script below." The script does in fact show that the text Rowan would've been reading from used the feminine pronoun.
Scarlett Jenkinson at sentencing today in a court artist's sketch (PA)
Eddie Ratcliffe (PA)The 16-year-old senseless killers, who met at school aged 11, lured the transgender teen, also 16, to a park in Warrington on February 11, 2023, before brutally stabbing her to death 28 times. When Brianna's bleeding body was discovered by dog walkers, the two murderers acted none the wiser.
Calculated Jenkinson sent rehearsed text messages to her accomplice, pretending to be surprised at the news of a dead body being found, while she chillingly messaged Brianna in a bid to plant a seed that a man from Manchester could have been responsible. She said: "Girl, is everything okay? Some teenage girl got killed in Linear Park its on news everywhere. And why did you ditch us for some random man from Manchester. Like wtf."
Jenkinson, from Warrington, and Ratcliffe, from Leigh, both 15 at the time of the murder, were known as bright students from good homes. His mother is a skiing instructor and his father runs businesses, while Jenkinson is the daughter of high school teachers.