Gscene News Archive

The BBC has been found in breach of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code following allegations of homophobia towards the gay singer Will Young by BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles earlier this year.

Phelim MacCafferty, the LGBT Greens Media Officer said:
“The BBC has ended up in trouble again because of Chris Moyles’ lazy stereotyping and homo- and trans-phobia. One of the comments that Moyles used live on air to humiliate Will Young is: "It’s my birthday, gonna wear my new dress tonight. And I smell nice. I’ve had a shower and I’ve shaved my legs. Going out later, might go to Nob-oooh for dinner.

“LGBTs are TV licence payers too, not fools. Stop allowing us to be treated as an emotional punchbag which can be dragged out for public humiliation on every desperate occasion Chris Moyles needs to produce ‘comedy’.

“If a DJ impersonated a black or minority ethnic performer with offensive, stereotyped references, we would not tolerate their continued employment. Why are LGBTs somehow different?

“Here we have yet more evidence of the latent and blatant homophobia of Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles.” Continued Phelim: “He’s not ‘postmodern’, he’s not ‘ironic’, he’s a homophobe who clogs our airwaves with his hatred. He deserves the sack for continuously causing offence to LGBTs.

“As the Teachers' Report revealed only weeks ago: Ninety percent of secondary school teachers and two fifths of primary school teachers say pupils experience homophobic bullying.

"The BBC therefore has a public duty of care to the young, school-going age listeners of Chris Moyles, to stop their lazy stereotyping. BBC stop your defence of radio’s numero uno homophobe; it's about time you stuck your necks out for young LGBTs who face the repetition of Moyles’ hatred in the playground".

In response to a complaint registered by Gscene Magazine as to why the BBC continue to employ Moyles the BBC said:
"We note the findings of the ruling, as we said at the time, these comments were unacceptable and we spoke to Chris and his team about them to make that clear.

The BBC remains absolutely committed to representing the UK's diversity, including through honest and accurate reflection of gay, lesbian and bisexual people. We strive to do this across all genres on television and radio.

Call for the sacking of Chris Moyles now. Complain to the BBC’s Chief Executive, at
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
or telephone 03700 100 222