The term "reverts" sparks controversy and accusations of Islamist propaganda
The BBC has faced backlash for referring to Muslim converts as "reverts", a term that suggests converting to Islam is returning to the faith all humans are born into. This controversial term is often linked with Islamist fundamentalism.
Tory MP Tom Tugendhat criticized the use of "reverts" stating, “Calling converts ‘reverts’ is ideology, not fact. It’s Islamist propaganda and has no place on the BBC.” Dr Taj Hargey from the Oxford Institute for British Islam also condemned the term, calling it "utter tosh".
In response to the criticism, the BBC edited their article on Eid, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, to remove all instances of "revert" except in quotes and the headline. The term implies that all individuals are born Muslim and can "turn back" to Islam after following other religions like Christianity.
The BBC later changed the headline to "converts" and provided a definition of the term. The BBC explained, “It was edited to make it clearer for readers.”
