That would be a heteronormative matter

James Purnell (not as young as he used to be, but then are any of us?)

The dividing line between those who think that identity politics is a good thing and those who think it's a bad thing is very sharp and, often, highly political (though it doesn't always sit neatly on the traditional left-right axis). 

And the BBC places itself very firmly in the camp that favours and promotes identity politics, thus taking sides on a matter of controversy.

We learn today, for example, that the BBC is "to address ‘heteronormative culture’ with LGBT reforms". 

There will be network of "straight allies" (to be identified with badges!), and "non-binary language" will be encouraged. There were even be "unconscious bias training" (re-education classes) to ensure that staff do not cause accidental offence. 

That "heteronormative" phrase, if you were wondering, comes from James Purnell, director of radio and education at the BBC  - and a former Blairite minister. 

Here are a couple of startled reactions to it from (the left-wing end of) my Twitter feed:

Claire Fox, Institute of Ideas: Assumed this was BBC WIA-style satire; sadly not. Expect full gamut of womxn-style bollxxx, linguistic policing, unconscious bias training for those who refuse to wear demeaning "straight ally" badge!  

Ben Cobley, author of 'The Tribe': This is remarkable. Exactly along the lines I describe in The Tribe, but still remarkable in the extent to which the BBC as an organisation is outsourcing authority to favoured group representatives, who will minister to identity group members. I don't think I've ever seen such a complete example as this. And to top it off it's being overseen by a former Labour MP as director of BBC radio and 'education' (we might say 'political education' in the same sense that Labour has political education officers).