Broadcasters criticized for misgendering non-binary athletes at Paris Olympics

Olympic broadcasters are facing calls to to "do better,"after incidents of non-binary athletes being misgendered at the Paris Olympic Games.

A clip went viral Thursday of a BBC commentator being corrected live on air, after using she/her pronouns to refer to U.S. shot putter Raven Saunders, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

"Good to see her back," commentator Steve Backleysaid, before co-commentator JazminSawyers stepped in to correct him.

"Well, we can't see them very well," Sawyerssaid, referring to Saunders's face being mostly covered."Raven Saunders is actually non-binary and wearing the mask there.We're quite used to seeing them with interesting attire."

The incident sparked a predictable social media kerfuffle, with some complaining about "gender madness" and others applauding Sawyers for correcting Backley.

CBC experienced a similar gaffe on Tuesday, when commentator Mark Lee referred to non-binary U.S. runner Nikki Hiltz as "she" and "her."

"Hiltz is transgender and non-binaryand likes to be referred to as they. She was assigned female at birth," he said.

Social media users chided the comments as "ridiculous" and unnecessary.

"Not the CBC Olympics announcers doing the most clunky misgendering of Nikki Hiltz," journalist and editor Mel Woods wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

A CBC spokesperson said in an email that CBC Sports "regrets the misgendering language used and apologizes to Nikki Hiltz and to our audience for the error."

"We are working closely with our commentators to ensure inclusive and respectful coverage during the Olympics and in all of our programming," the statement said.

Advocate says it's important to use the right words

Helen Kennedy, executive director of 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy group Egale Canada, says it is unfortunately not surprising to see misgendering continue on air in 2024.

"I think it's really important that we take these things seriously, that we educate people properly around misgendering and the impact that it has, and that we stop focusing on gender identity trans and non-binary in particular and enjoy the sports," she said.

The Tokyo Games in 2021 marked the first time in Olympic history with openly trans athletes competing. Two non-binary athletes at those Games Quinn, who played for Canada's women's soccer team, and U.S. skateboarder Alana Smith weremisgendered on air by several outletsthat year.

The Paris Olympics have broken a record by having 193 openly 2SLGBTQ+ athletes competing, according toOutsports, a website compiling a database of openly queer and trans Olympians.

Kennedy says it's important for commentators and journalists to educate themselves on the correct language before they go on air, and noted it's not a commentator's job to police or comment on an athlete's gender in the first place.

She says the athletes should be celebrated for their talents, and their identity is "irrelevant" to the viewer unless the athlete wants it to be relevant.

"Look, everyone makes mistakes. It's going to happen," she said. "Acknowledge them, apologize, move on, educate yourself and do better next time."

Hiltz, the U.S. runner, has spoken up during this year's Games in support of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif,awoman who is not trans or non-binary but has been misgendered and referred to asa man in harassment campaigns by high-profile figures like Harry Potterauthor J.K. Rowling and former U.S. president Donald Trump, causing a social media firestorm.

On Tuesday, Hiltztook to Instagram to address the "ignorance and hate" circulating online and offer support to trans and non-binary athletes.

"For those who identify as non-binary or trans and are doing cool things in the world ... remember you are magic and that it's not the critic who counts," they wrote."I love you. I need you. I see you. Keep going."

Sexism during the Games

Broadcasters have also been called out for making sexist remarks about femaleathletes during this year's Games.

The International Olympic Committee has saidParis is the first Olympicstoreach gender parity,with the same number of female and male athletes, but some analysts saycommentators are still treating men and women differently.

In one case, aEurosport commentator was suspendedforsaying after Australia won the 4x100-metre freestyle relay,"Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like hanging around, doing their makeup."

An RMC Radio commentator, meanwhile, was condemned for using cliches about housewives to describe an Italian tennisplayer, saying of Sara Errani, "She does everything: The washing-up, the cooking, the mopping-up."