BBC Trust rules Lindsay Lohan 'lesbian jokes' reinforced
homophobic stereotypes
A BBC3 programme in which lesbians were described as "munters"
was crude and offensive, the BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee (ESC)
has found.
The Most Annoying People of 2008, which was broadcast in December last
year, featured commentators who said female Hollywood superstars should be
saved for heterosexuals and talked about ejaculating on Lohan and her
then-girlfriend Samantha Ronson.
PinkNews.co.uk broke the story after the programme was branded as
"gratuitously sexist and homophobic" by gay rights activist Peter
Tatchell. PinkNews.co.uk reader Georgina Burns said it left her "with a
bad taste" in her mouth.
The BBC initially said the programme was "irreverent" and the
comments were "light-hearted fashion with no malicious intent".
It was broadcast in two parts, with the second part of the programme
listing Lohan and Ronson at number 43.
During the programme, BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Spooney said of
lesbians: "Let the munters and mingers get each other. That's cool. Nobody
wants them."
He then referred to Lohan and Ronson: "But when they're hot and
fit…you know what I mean?
"Hollywood superstars: they should be saved for guys."
Porn actor Ron Jeremy made several explicit references to ejaculating on
the couple.
The ESC found that the remarks were not editorially justified and were
not suitable for broadcast. It also decided that the comments were offensive
and reinforced stereotypical views about lesbians.
The decision said: "The remarks made by DJ Spoony and Ron Jeremy
were crude and offensive in their targeting of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha
Ronson.
"Even given the wider context of the programme as being
'irreverent' and focusing on the lighter side of celebrity, the committee
believed these particular remarks exceeded the expectations of an audience
familiar with the BBC's broadcasting values.
"Rather than 'sending up a common attitude adopted by heterosexual
people,' the committee believed that it appeared to reinforce stereotypical
views.
"The committee concluded that these comments were offensive and
made stereotypical assumptions which were not editorially justified.
"On this basis the programme was in breach of the editorial
guidelines."
Burns, the PinkNews.co.uk reader who made the complaint, said she took
the issue all the way to the BBC Trust after finding that her concerns were not
adequately answered.
Burns said: "I persevered because the response at the earlier
stages was so unapologetic. I was told that the comments on the show were in
jest and that they simply parodied narrow-minded straight , sexist men and
therefore were okay. They just didn't get it and I absolutely believed that
there was a deep sexism/lesbophobia at the heart of their intransigence.
"I'm really pleased that the trust upheld the complaint. I also
know that some new guidelines on taste and decency were issued while my
complaint was being considered which may have affected the outcome