The BBC showed staff a controversial 'genderbread person' graphic in equality training using material from under-fire LGBT charity Stonewall - and is now refusing to answer questions from one of its own presenters about its links with the organisation.
An investigation by Nolan Investigates, a podcast run by 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan, found that the image was presented to employees as part of an internal BBC course set up in conjunction with the lobby group.
The 'genderbread person' graphic depicts sex as a spectrum and defines gender identity as 'how you think about yourself'. It was apparently shown to BBC staff with no alternative explanations despite these ideas being contested.
Nolan Investigates examined how public-funded bodies including the BBC, Ofcom and the Scottish and Welsh governments have been influenced by Stonewall due to their involvement in the group's diversity schemes.
The programme revealed that Nicola Sturgeon's government agreed to delete the word 'mother' from its maternity leave policy after pressure from Stonewall. Stonewall requests ministers to remove 'gendered' words from official policies as part of its advice on becoming more LGBT friendly.
Nolan Investigates also found that broadcast regulator Ofcom submitted evidence about its diversity practices to the Workplace Equality Index in a bid to get the best possible ranking.
Among this evidence was rulings it had made against broadcasters in response to allegedly transphobic comments - prompting some commentators to suggest its rulings were being influenced by the charity's agenda. This was strongly denied by Ofcom, which insisted its involvement with the index had 'no bearing whatsoever' on its decisions as a regulator.
The programme also found that Stonewall 'dictated policy' to the Welsh government - convincing officials to adopt its interpretation of the Equality Act to include 'gender identity' as a protected characteristic.
The image, which was presented to employees as part of an internal BBC course set up in conjunction with the lobby group, depicts sex as a spectrum and defines gender identity as 'how you think about yourself'
The Diversity Champions programme, which was set up in 2001, sees the charity bill employees for advice on how to promote gender inclusion. The Workplace Equality Index is a public ranking of organisations that does not require a fee to enter.
Diversity Champions has been criticised for 'extremist' advice which included ditching the word 'mother' because it is 'gendered language'.
A raft of organisations including Ofcom, Channel 4, the Cabinet Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have already left the initiative following criticism of its hard-line policies and widespread outrage after its boss said believing a person's sex cannot be changed is as bad as anti-Semitism.
Recent reports say the BBC could also soon quit the scheme. It is not known how much the BBC have paid to take part.
A Freedom of Information Request has revealed the Scottish Government has paid Stonewall £415,000 in grants between April 2017 and last month, in addition to thousands of pounds worth of membership fees.
Among the revelations -
BBC admitted to 'working closely' with Stonewall and 'adopted its definition of homosexual as someone ''attracted to people from their own gender'''
Nolan Investigates, a podcast run by 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan, looked into Stonewall's links to numerous taxpayer-funded bodies
Nolan Investigates dedicated two episodes to raising questions about the close relationship between Stonewall and the BBC's Diversity and Inclusion department.
It revealed how the lobby group played a key role in the department's internal 'LGBT Culture and Progression report' by 'identifying strengths and weaknesses' in the BBC's approach.
One of the 'weaknesses' was the absence of an Allies programme, which are set up with training from Stonewall when the organisations are Diversity Champions.
In January 2020, the BBC told staff they would 'be working closely with Stonewall over the coming months in preparation for next year's [Stonewall] index'.
The BBC's eventual Allies training programme used the 'genderbread person' graphic - which is used by groups including Stonewall to explain sex and gender issues.
Nolan Investigates cited information from the BBC staff website to reveal a series of other policy changes the BBC had enacted in the hope of gaining a better position on Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index, a ranking of organisations based on their inclusivity.
Changes include adopting the LGBTQ+ acronym and encouraging employees to list their gender pronouns.
Critics have also pointed out that the BBC's definition of 'homosexual' mirrors language used by Stonewall that describes someone 'attracted to people of their own gender' - rather than sex.
The podcast described the BBC as the least transparent of the public bodies which it approached for information, and said it refused to comment on claims about its definition of 'homosexual'.
It also declined to release internal documents relating to Stonewall under the Freedom of Information Act and refused to put an executive forward for interview.
A corporation spokesman said: 'The BBC acts independently in all our aspects of our operations, from HR policy to
