Premium Content:

BBC commit to more LGBTI+ characters in new diversity reforms

British national broadcaster BBC have revealed they will ensure more LGBTI+ characters are represented on their channel as part of new diversity reforms.

- Advertisement -

The announcement comes after a recent internal survey of 300 LGBTI staff, which found that many employees considered the broadcaster to be promoting ‘heteronormative culture.’

The survey also revealed that 11% of BBC employees identified as members of the LGBTI+ community, slightly increasing to 12% among senior staff according to The Telegraph.

BBC’s director of radio and education James Purnell said one of the broadcaster’s major challenges is reaching younger audiences.

“In a recent YouGov survey only 51% of 18 to 24-year-olds said they identified as completely heterosexual,” Purnell said.

“An organisation that appears to have a heteronormative culture is not one that is going to cut ice with them either as a consumer or an employee. We’re aiming to create the most open, inclusive culture we can.”

Other recommendations that came from the survey included adopted non-binary language, more support for transgender and gender diverse staff and adopting the acronym “LGBTQ” or “LGBTQ+”.

In 2016, Screen Australia released the Seeing Ourselves report, which showed just 5% of characters on Australian television were LGBTIQ+. Between 2011 and 2015, 27% of programs featured at least one queer characters, with men appearing thrice as much as women. There were only two transgender characters in Australian-made dramas, and no intersex characters.

Latest

British soccer player given whopping suspension for on pitch gay slur

It's not the first time he's been accused of using gay slurs during a game.

Which WA seats will be in focus on election night

All eyes will be on Tangney, Curtin, Moore, Canning and other WA seats once counting gets underway.

And then they were two, Auckland drops out of Gay Games bid

Auckland has withdrawn its bid to host the 2030...

Tinā, the debut feature from Miki Magasiva is a love letter to all Pacifika mothers

The film has a special opening night event at Luna Leederville.

Newsletter

Don't miss

British soccer player given whopping suspension for on pitch gay slur

It's not the first time he's been accused of using gay slurs during a game.

Which WA seats will be in focus on election night

All eyes will be on Tangney, Curtin, Moore, Canning and other WA seats once counting gets underway.

And then they were two, Auckland drops out of Gay Games bid

Auckland has withdrawn its bid to host the 2030...

Tinā, the debut feature from Miki Magasiva is a love letter to all Pacifika mothers

The film has a special opening night event at Luna Leederville.

Director Pedro Almodóvar delivers blunt assessment of US President Donald Trump

"You will go down in history as a catastrophe." the Spanish director said,.

British soccer player given whopping suspension for on pitch gay slur

It's not the first time he's been accused of using gay slurs during a game.

Which WA seats will be in focus on election night

All eyes will be on Tangney, Curtin, Moore, Canning and other WA seats once counting gets underway.

And then they were two, Auckland drops out of Gay Games bid

Auckland has withdrawn its bid to host the 2030 Gay Games, leaving Perth and Denver, Colorado as the two cities remaining in contention. Perth's...