BBC uses biased LGBT expert who distorts evidence
by Mike Davidson, Christian Concern:
LGBT activists are no doubt disappointed because the Government will not allow them to self-identify in their chosen gender, but our concern at Core Issues Trust is that Boris Johnson might offer them a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’ as a consolation prize. Therapeutic choice would be the victim of this unnuanced attack on conversation therapies that talk through issues of sexuality with those who experience homosexuality and gender confusion as unwanted. Although such a ban would have no scientific foundation in our view, there can be little doubt that the scientific establishment would support such a policy.
BBC’s one-side investigation of therapies
On 29 September 2020, BBC Northern Ireland broadcast a TV programme in the Spotlight series on the issue of ‘Gay Conversion Therapy’, which could have investigated this question and explored the issues science raises on the matter of human sexuality and helpful interventions for those seeking change.
Disappointingly, the underlying theme of the programme was that a therapy ban was long overdue. The main argument presented was that this is reasonable on the say-so of two campaigning Belfast gay GPs, Dr Gareth Patterson and Dr Gary Adair-Gilliland. A veteran campaigner from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (Professor Michael King), several activists and a gay-affirming psychologist were also featured. The programme’s participants did not fairly represent the range of opinions that might reasonably be expected on this controversial subject. It was in fact advocacy rather than enquiry journalism.
As a participant in the programme, I was grilled at length, arguing the case for all people to have freedom to shape their sexuality as they wished, and to access professional help to do so. Whilst the BBC did interview several people who claimed to have undergone ‘conversion therapy’, no attempt was made to hear from equivalent (in age and professional status) individuals who have benefitted from counselling interventions and who do consider themselves to have left the LGBT lifestyles.
Despite requests from Core Issues Trust, the BBC failed to reduce viewpoint discrimination by interviewing other people whose experience of therapy, was positive. I made it clear to them that there are those who are very willing to speak to journalists who speak positively of their counselling experiences.
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