The UK Seems to Be Setting Aside Some of the Nuttier Elements of Trans Identity

It was just a brief moment on a BBC broadcast, barely a second, but it made quite an impression on a lot of people. BBC presenter Martine Croxall was reading a story about “pregnant people” and made an immediate correction to the text.

“London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has released research which says that nearly 600 heat-related deaths are expected in the U.K.,” Croxall began.

“Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, says that the aged, pregnant people – women –,” she said, pausing briefly with an edge in her voice, “and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions.”

J.K. Rowling said Croxall was her new favorite BBC presenter when highlighting a clip of the moment.

I have a new favourite BBC presenter. https://t.co/l2gkThccty

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 22, 2025

Croxall thanked everyone for the surge of support on X just about 12 hours later.

A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It’s been quite a ride… pic.twitter.com/k3oUIajOyA

— Martine Croxall (@MartineBBC) June 22, 2025

Rowling added:

A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It’s been quite a ride… pic.twitter.com/k3oUIajOyA

— Martine Croxall (@MartineBBC) June 22, 2025

But so far it seems she’s not. There are of course a small number of cranks making the usual noise but many people appear to be thrilled at seeing some reality on this issue during a BBC report.

And that’s not all because also yesterday there was a report that Judges in the UK will no longer be expected to use the chosen pronouns of a man accused of rape.

Judges will no longer have to refer to criminal defendants by the gender of their choice in an update after the Supreme Court’s transgender ruling.

The revised guidance abandons self-identification language and reaffirms the binary definition of sex to state that the legal definition of a woman means biological female rather than sex attained by the acquisition of a gender recognition certificate (GRC).

It says that non-binary status has no legal footing and sets out that courts may refuse contested pronouns.

Rape suspects should not be referred to as female and there is “no entitlement” for anyone to use single-sex services intended for the opposite sex, the guidance says…

The guidance, published by the Judicial Office for England and Wales, says that “references to sex… are references to biological sex.”

Previously, judges, lawyers and even victims were expected to use the preferred pronouns of a defendant, creating a situation where the entire courtroom could be calling an accused male rapist “she” or “her” while the victim was in the courtroom. 

I wrote about the case of Isla Bryson back in 2023. Bryson aka Adam Graham was convicted of two counts of rape for incidents that happened when Graham was identifying as a man. In fact, he didn’t become Isla until his first court proceeding. In that case, the court agreed to basically ignore the demands of the law and refuse to correct people for referring to Isla as Adam Graham.

Politicians, campaigners and a UN special rapporteur have all expressed grave concerns that a transgender woman found guilty of raping two women before transitioning is being remanded in a female prison.

Opponents of the Scottish government’s gender recognition reforms – which the UK government has blocked from going for royal assent because of “safety issues for women and children” – said that the case vindicated their concerns about lack of safeguards in the bill…

The Guardian understands that in advance of the Bryson case, all parties agreed that the defendant was previously known as Graham, and that witnesses had encountered the individual using that name. No guidance was issued to witnesses on addressing the defendant nor were they corrected when referring to the defendant as “Adam Graham” or “he”.

After the story became international news the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, who had supported the self-ID law and denied there was any issue with men in women’s prisons had to make an embarrassing U-turn.

🎥 Nicola Sturgeon forced into humiliating u-turn as Isla Bryson to be moved to men’s prison: https://t.co/iEt1lntFtK pic.twitter.com/4VCHv0K0oB

— Scottish Express (@ScotExpress) January 26, 2023

After a second case involving a trans woman being sent to a women’s prison, Sturgeon eventually was put on the spot and, predictably, could not make sense of her own stated views.

Does Scotland’s First Minister believe all trans women are women?

Scottish Gov has just implemented an effective ban on trans prisoners who’ve committed sexual & violent crimes against women being moved to a women-only prison. @itvnews pic.twitter.com/DRbvItHZ3i

— Peter A Smith (@PeterAdamSmith) January 30, 2023

That was about 2 1/2 years ago and Sturgeon would resign about a month later. Anyway, the UK has come a long way in the past couple years. How much longer before a news anchor in the US rolls her eyes at this kind of nonsense?