BBC defends playing song that tells listeners to ‘kick terfs’

The BBC has defended airing a song that encourages listeners to “kick” gender critical people, despite complaints.

BBC Radio 6 Music played the track called They/Them by the band Dream Nails, which features the lyrics “kick terfs all day, don’t break a sweat”.

Terf is an abbreviation for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a term used to describe people who believe trans women’s gender identity is illegitimate.

The BBC has dismissed the criticism, suggesting that the lyrics were ambiguous.

‘Ambiguity’

A complaints team spokesperson told The Times: “People will interpret songs with any element of nuance or ambiguity differently.”

It comes after the station was accused of refusing to play songs by the Irish singer Roisin Murphy following her criticism of puberty blockers.

Ms Murphy, 50, posted on Facebook: “Puberty blockers are f------, absolutely desolate, big pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed-up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true.

“Please don’t call me a terf, please don’t keep using that word against women.”

Ms Murphy later apologised for her potentially “hurtful” comments and pledged to “bow out of this conversation within the public domain”.

‘Ever-evolving, freewheeling and unpredictable’

In response to the criticism, she said: “The music I make is the core of everything I do and it’s ever-evolving, freewheeling and unpredictable.

“For those of you that are leaving me, or have already left, I understand, I really do, but please know I have loved every one of you.”

BBC Radio 6 has played just one track by Ms Murphy since she made the comments online, despite regularly playing her music prior to her remarks.

Ms Murphy was last aired on the station on Sep 1, three days after her social media post. BBC Radio 6 Music also cancelled a scheduled show that was due to celebrate her musical achievements. It claimed her comments had not prompted the decision.

A BBC insider insisted that the broadcaster “does not ban artists” after the Radio 6 programmes centred on Ms Murphy’s back catalogue were wiped from the schedule.

The 6 Music Artist Collection programmes were due to be aired next Monday and Tuesday before they were pulled.

The BBC said the change was part of a rotation to align its schedule with National Poetry Day.

But Ms Murphy defied cancel culture on Friday and secured her first solo top 10 album.

Her new release, Hit Parade, made its debut at number five this week, according to the Official Charts Company, with the American singer Olivia Rodrigo claiming the top spot.