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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/scottish-express-referring-dr-beth-34670335?utm_source=scottish_dailyexpress_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=main_daily_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=de94706b-e032-422a-a2e8-5e02d67ef4ea&hx=67774ac834a60d49b24cce929634308b168e768ba6a50ad87e19075822f3fdfa

But this isn't a story about – let's say – Dr Upton's collection of garden gnomes; in such a case, we'd be happy to indulge his chosen pronouns. It is coverage of an employment tribunal, a specialist court held before a judge. People's livelihoods are at stake here.

In court stories, accuracy matters above all else (as I and many other journalists before me have found out to our cost) and so we believe the most accurate way of describing Dr Upton is as a man, albeit one who is choosing to live as a woman.

This has provoked a good deal of response from readers, mostly from people praising our stance. To quote from one email from the dozens we have received: "Other news outlets are confusing everyone into thinking Upton is a 'woman who thinks she's a man', or has had a sex change or something, when in reality he is a man who tells everyone he's a woman called Beth. Your accuracy and truthfulness is refreshing."

Others are not happy, to put it mildly, and we have been told that at least one complaint will be lodged with the Independent Press Standards Organisation. We await to see what IPSO may or may not decide about our approach.