A BBC Olympics commentator was corrected by his co-host live on air this morning after failing to use the preferred pronouns for U.S. shot putter Raven Saunders.
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Steve Backley, a former Team GB javelin thrower, repeatedly described Saunders as “her” during coverage of Thursday’s women’s shot put qualifying in the Stade de France, Paris.
Saunders, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Games, identifies as non-binary and uses the they/them pronouns. Backley’s co-host Jazmin Sawyers pointed this out during the output.
“The colorful character of Raven Saunders back. Good to see her back, sort of. Sort of see her, I mean,” Backley told BBC viewers, referencing Saunders’ distinctive mask.
Sawyers replied: “Well we can’t see them very well. Raven Saunders actually non-binary and wearing the mask there, we’re quite used to seeing them with interesting atire.”
Saunders, who qualified for the Olympic final, has described the mask as being part of their Incredible Hulk alter-ego after they suffered mental health issues.
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“I learned how to compartmentalize, the same way that Bruce Banner learned to control the Hulk, learned how to let the Hulk come out during the right moments, and that way it also gave him a sign of mental peace,” they told Yahoo Sports in 2021.
The BBC commentary was seized upon by those who are critical of gender diversity, while others applauded Sawyers for correcting the record .
The 2024 Olympics has been marked by controversy over Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who has been described as a “man” by detractors including JK Rowling.
She has been allowed to compete by the International Olympic Committee despite being disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships because of elevated levels of testosterone.
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