Telegraph in hot water for referring to preferred BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead only as ‘mother of three’
The Telegraph has been deemed sexist on social media, after a headline about Rona Fairhead being named as preferred candidate for the BBC trust chair role only referred to her as “mother of three”.
Running online with the positive title ‘Businesswoman Rona Fairhead the preferred choice for next BBC Trust chairman’ (although this should have read chairperson), the article went to print with the title ‘Mother of three poised to lead the BBC’.
The article’s second paragraph stated that Fairhead was a ‘married mother of three’.
This oversight has led to an outcry on Twitter, with many pointing out that this would not have happened if the candidate was male.
Father of two hopes Daily Telegraph subs will one day get a fucking grip. pic.twitter.com/XxFzgeclyR
— Robert Webb (@arobertwebb) September 1, 2014
"Mother of three to lead the BBC." Imagine thinking you can run a huge corporation when your uterus is utterly exhausted. — Deborah Orr (@DeborahJaneOrr) August 31, 2014
Daily Mail 1964: "Oxford Housewife Wins Nobel" Sunday Telegraph 2014: "Mother of three poised to lead the BBC" @EverydaySexism
— Dr Paul Coxon (@paulcoxon) August 31, 2014
"Mother of three poised to lead the BBC" BUT WHAT WAS SHE WEARING? — Janet N. Hatcher (@jnhatcher) August 31, 2014