'Actually nonbinary': BBC Olympics announcer corrects co-host for not using 'they/them' pronouns for female shot putter

A BBC announcer corrected her colleague for using the wrong pronouns for American shot putter Raven Saunders.

Saunders has been in the spotlight during the Olympics for her unique attire and consistent gay activism since the 2021 Tokyo games where she won a silver medal.

The track and field athlete consistently appears with multicolored hair, excessively long finger nails, and often wears a mask of some type while competing.

'Raven Saunders is actually nonbinary.'

Her attire was typical during a recent Paris competition when the BBC's Steve Backley was commenting on her unorthodox appearance.

"The colorful character Raven Saunders is back," Backley said during the broadcast. "Good to see her back, sort of. Sort of see her, I mean," he added, in reference to her mask.

Announcer Jazmin Sawyers, who is actually an injured long jumper from Great Britain's team, quickly jumped in to correct Backley's lack of obscure pronoun usage.

"Well, we can’t see them very well,” Sawyers replied, making sure to use the term "them."

"Raven Saunders is actually nonbinary and wearing the mask there. We're quite used to seeing them with interesting attire. Should that be allowed? Why not," the 30-year-old concluded.

"Why not, indeed," Backley responded.

While Saunders pushes political viewpoints through her athletics, she hasn't been too strict on pronoun usage despite allegedly identifying as "nonbinary."

Just two days prior to the pronoun debacle, Saunders posted a video on her Instagram page where she is repeatedly referred to as "she."

Saunders also posted an image in December 2023 along with a caption where she referred to herself as a woman multiple times and not a "nonbinary."

When Saunders won a silver medal for shot put at the Tokyo games, she staged a protest during the medal ceremony. While on the podium, she raised her arms and crossed her wrists to form an X, which she claimed was a protest in support of "oppressed" people.

"Raven Saunders Protests on the Podium," a page called Women's Running said. "When asked what the ‘X’ meant, [Saunders] responded: 'It's the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.'"

According to the Huffington Post, Saunders said at the time that she was intent on inspiring "many young girls, so many young boys, so many LGBTQ people, [and] so many people that have battled suicide."

As for Saunders' bizarre attire, it is allegedly part of her "alter ego," according to an Associated Press writer.

"Before a shot put competition Raven Saunders transforms into their alter ego, The Hulk," writer Patrick Graham claimed. "That includes mask, sunglasses, gold teeth, hair dyed green and purple and long bedazzled nails."

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