BBC faces allegations of sexism for describing Oscar-nominee as 'sound-editor mum'

BBC News has since changed the headline

BBC News has been accused of sexism after referring to a female Oscar-nominated sound-editor as “sound-editor mum”.

Nina Hartstone, who previously won a Bafta at this year’s ceremony, is nominated for an Oscar for her work on Bohemian Rhapsody.

On Sunday, the news outlet published an article on Hartstone’s accomplishments, with the headline – ‘The sound-editor mum up for an Oscar’.

In the first paragraph, Harstone was introduced as: “At home Nina Hartstone runs the PTA and feeds the cat, at work she’s a Bafta-winning sound editor.”

On social media, the BBC faced immediate backlash for what many claimed was a sexist profile of Hartstone.

In addition to unnecessarily referencing her role as a mother and member of the PTA, as it does not pertain to her work, people also suggested that a male sound editor would never be referred to as a “sound-editor dad.”

“When would you ever see this headline about a sound-editor dad? Seriously, have some respect,” one person wrote.

Another said: “Hang on… she’s a sound-editor AND a mum?? A job AND a child?? Tell us more, BBC News…”

“This woman has been a professional for 25 years, has been nominated for an Oscar yet BBC still describes her as ‘mum-of-three’ and former ‘tea girl’. Now you know why we get so angry,” someone else tweeted.

Following the sexism allegations, BBC News has since changed the headline to read: “Bohemian Rhapsody: First Oscars night for sound editor” and has removed references to Hartstone’s work on the PTA.

However, the article still refers to Hartstone as a “mother-of-three”.

A spokesperson for BBC News told The Independent: “We had clearly misjudged this headline, so we changed it.”