BBC defends blurring trans rights slogan on Strictly contestant's shirt

The BBC has defended its decision to edit out a transgender rights slogan from a T-shirt worn by Strictly Come Dancing contestant Bethany Antonia. During rehearsal footage shown on the program and the BBC iPlayer, the message ‘Protect The Dolls’ was blurred or edited to make the shirt appear plain white.

The slogan, featured on apparel designed by Connor Ives, is used to signal allyship to the transgender community. The T-shirts have been worn by various public figures, including Pedro Pascal and Tilda Swinton, and have raised significant funds for organizations such as Trans Lifeline and the UK charity Not A Phase.

A BBC spokesperson stated that the edit was ‘standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC’ and was done in accordance with editorial guidelines to ‘reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question.’ The decision has drawn criticism from viewers on social media who questioned the impartiality of the edit.