Yahoo News BBC Denies Canceling Singer Róisín Murphy After She Attacked Use Of Puberty Blockers By Trans Kids
The BBC has denied that it canceled singer Róisín Murphy after she said pharmaceutical companies are profiting from “mixed-up” transgender children taking puberty blockers.
The British broadcaster’s radio station 6 Music removed a five-hour celebration of Murphy’s music from its schedule on September 25, but claimed the decision was not related to her puberty blocker comments.
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The Daily Mail reported that BBC 6 Music managers met on Monday and discussed Murphy. The programming dedicated to her work was later pulled from the schedule.
The BBC did not deny that the meeting took place or that Murphy was discussed, but said its Artist Collections series is “regularly on rotation” and frequently changes.
The corporation added that Murphy has been played on 6 Music and Radio 2 in recent days, meaning that she has not been banned from the airwaves.
Murphy, best known for Moloko records including Sing It Back, criticized puberty blockers in a Facebook post last month. She has since apologized for the remarks.
In her original post, Murphy wrote: “Puberty blockers are f****d, 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.”
She added: “Please don’t call me a terf [trans-exclusionary radical feminist], please don’t keep using that word against women”.
In a statement, the BBC said: “The Artist Collections from our archive are regularly on rotation and frequently change to reflect station-wide initiatives as they get confirmed.
“Little Simz was scheduled to reflect 6 Music’s Way With Words programming, which celebrates poetry, rap and spoken word, and airs the following week, tying in with National Poetry Day. There was no other reason for the change. Róisín Murphy has been played on 6 Music recently and her Artist Collection remains in rotation.”
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