BBC apologizes to JK Rowling for the second time this month after she was accused of transphobia

The BBC has apologized to JK Rowling for the second time in less than a month after she was accused of being transphobic on a live current affairs programme.

In a discussion about the Harry Potter video game Hogwarts legacy on BBC Radio Scotland Good morning Scotland Show, a transgender woman, said she boycotted the game because it was used to “fund the anti-trans movement.”

Writer and broadcaster Carrie Marshall said: “It has a measurable impact on the lives of transgender people and potentially on our safety. I think that’s why so many trans people are concerned about this game.”

The BBC said it was investigating public complaints about the discussion, which aired on February 10. In a statement, it said the exchange did not meet editorial standards.

“The debate centered on the issue of gender identity and allegations were made about JK Rowling’s views. We accept that the show has not disputed these claims and acknowledge that our contributors have expressed their views as facts.

“This fell short of the strict editorial standards we applied to our broad coverage of trans and gender recognition stories on BBC Scotland’s news and current affairs programmes, and we apologize for that.”

The ruling came despite another player, Lee Rob, arguing in favor of the purchase Hogwarts legacysaid it was “possible to separate the artist from the art”.

A similar discussion of the game on Radio 4 Watch The show also fell short of BBC standards after an attack on Rowling by transgender player Stacey Henley went unchallenged. The company received 200 complaints about the program and apologized earlier this month.

“This is a difficult and controversial area which we try very hard to cover fairly and well on the BBC. But we should have spoken to Stacey Henley more directly about her allegations and apologized for not doing so,” the BBC said.

Rowling’s views on transgender issues have attracted a lot of criticism over the years, including from some of the biggest stars in the Harry Potter film series.

The position of the author is explored in the podcast, The Witch Trials by JK Rowlingin which she will say that her views are “deeply” misunderstood.

“It was never my intention to upset anyone. However, I didn’t feel uncomfortable getting off my pedestal,” she said in a trailer for The free press show that started today.