FACT CHECK: Did BBC Publish This Tweet Claiming Saudi Arabia Announced Its Intention To Hold A ‘Straight Pride Month’?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a tweet from BBC News reporting that Saudi Arabia has announced its intention to hold “International Straight Pride Month” in June 2022. 

Verdict: False 

The screenshot is digitally fabricated. A BBC News spokesperson confirmed the outlet never published such a tweet.

Fact Check: 

The image shared on Facebook appears to show a screenshot of an alleged May 20 tweet from the verified BBC News Twitter account about Saudi Arabia announcing a “straight pride month” in June 2022.

“Saudi Arabia has announced its intention to hold ‘International Straight Pride Month’ during June of 2022,” the alleged tweet reads. “A Saudi spokesperson explained that the event was designed to ‘celebrate those who follow laws of God,’ and that ‘straight men are discriminated against in many places.’”

There is no record of BBC News sending such a tweet. It does not appear on the outlet’s verified Twitter account. There is also no mention of the alleged development in Saudi Arabia on BBC’s website or social media accounts. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to corroborate the alleged tweet’s claims. 

“It was fake and not something the BBC posted,” said a BBC News spokesperson in an email to Check Your Fact. (RELATED: No, The Colors Of Ukraine’s Flag Have Not Been Added To The Pride Flag)

This is not the first time a fake BBC article has gone viral. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim that BBC reported breathing “too many times” can increase fatal heart attack risk.

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