100+ organizations and leaders sign coalition letter in protest of The New York Times’ biased coverage of transgender people

“We won’t stand for the Times platforming lies, bias, fringe theories, and dangerous inaccuracies. We demand fair coverage, we demand that the Times platform trans voices as both sources and full-time writers and editors, and we demand a meeting between Times leadership and the transgender community.”

(New York, NY -- February 15, 2023) -- Today GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is joined by hundreds of journalists, organizations, community leaders and notable influencers in calling on The New York Times to improve their coverage of transgender people and issues.

More than 180 contributors to the Times published a letter to the Times this morning, calling out the outlet’s biased trans coverage, including Ashley P. Ford, Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado, Thomas Page McBee, Andrea Long Chu, John Cameron Mitchell, Zach Stafford, Raquel Willis and more.

GLAAD and 100+ organizations and notables — from HRC, PFLAG, Transgender Law Center, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, and the Women’s March to Ashlee Marie Preston, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Jameela Jamil, Jonathan Van Ness, Judd Apatow, Lena Dunham, Margaret Cho, Peppermint, Shakina, Tommy Dorfman, Wilson Cruz and more — echoed this call in their own letter, demanding that the Times stop printing irresponsible misinformation about trans people, meet with trans community leaders, and hire trans writers and editors.

The coalition letter was delivered to The New York Times building this morning. In addition, the coalition’s concerns and demands are featured on a billboard truck that will drive around the New York Times building in Manhattan today.

These calls come after more than a year of irresponsible, biased news and opinion pieces about the transgender community. A number of these pieces have been cited by politicians banning and criminalizing health care for trans youth (see below).

“The New York Times has long had a reputation as a leader in the world of media, but the example they are setting for coverage of transgender people is downright shameful,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president & CEO of GLAAD. “From the front page to the opinion page, readers are too often getting an inaccurate view of transgender people, with poor reporting that elevates harmful opinions from known anti-trans voices and so-called ‘concerns’ over the fact that every leading medical organization affirms healthcare for trans youth as safe and necessary. And even more dangerous, politicians are using biased Times’ articles to justify support for anti-trans legislation. GLAAD and other advocates have tried to educate reporters and editors at the Times, but our community can no longer wait for the Times to do the right thing. We need to see action now: Start by listening, hiring, and reporting accurately and inclusively on trans people. Anything less than an intentional and meaningful effort to reach out to and listen to transgender experts is unconscionable and a violation of the public trust.”

Excerpt from the letter from 180+ Times contributors:

“The newspaper’s editorial guidelines demand that reporters ‘preserve a professional detachment, free of any whiff of bias’ when cultivating their sources, remaining ‘sensitive that personal relationships with news sources can erode into favoritism, in fact or appearance.’ Yet the Times has in recent years treated gender diversity with an eerily familiar mix of pseudoscience and euphemistic, charged language, while publishing reporting on trans children that omits relevant information about its sources.”

Read the full letter and list of signers here.

Excerpt from letter signed by 100+ organizations and notables:

“For those of us who truly treasured the Times’ coverage for so many years, it is appalling to see how the news and opinion pages are now full of misguided, inaccurate, and disingenuous ‘both sides’ fearmongering and bad faith ‘just asking questions’ coverage. We won’t stand for the Times platforming lies, bias, fringe theories, and dangerous inaccuracies. We demand fair coverage, we demand that the Times platform trans voices as both sources and full-time writers and editors, and we demand a meeting between Times leadership and the transgender community.” 

Read the full letter and list of signers here (full list of signers also copied below.)

The public can also sign the letter and send a copy of it to The New York Times at glaad.org/nytimes

Demands from the 100+ organizations and notables signed onto coalition letter:

1. Stop printing biased anti-trans stories, immediately.
2. Listen to trans people: hold a meeting with trans community leaders within two months.
3. Hire at least four trans writers and editors within three months.

Direct negative impacts of irresponsible Times coverage for trans people and their families and medical providers includes:

• The State of Texas quoted Emily Bazelon’s June 2022 report to further target families of trans youth in court documents over their private, evidence-based healthcare decisions.
• The Arkansas Attorney General cited three biased Times articles in her amicus brief supporting an Alabama law that criminalizes doctors and parents for ensuring trans youth can access necessary medical care: Emily Bazelon’s June 2022 piece, Azeen Ghorayshi’s January 2022 piece, and Ross Douthat’s April 2022 piece.
• And just last week, in a Nebraska legislative hearing, the Times’ reporting on trans youth and its reputation as the “paper of record” was used to justify a bill that would criminalize healthcare for trans youth.

Coverage of the trans community recently published by The New York Times that received loud negative responses from leaders in the LGBTQ and medical communities includes:

• A year’s worth of stories from the Times Science Desk have undermined support for transgender youth by purporting dangerous opinions from non-experts as objective facts, and neglecting both medical science and the overwhelming consensus support for trans healthcare among major medical associations. In fact, Popula has tracked that “The Times has now published more than 15,000 words’ worth of front-page stories asking whether care and support for young trans people might be going too far or too fast.” This biased coverage includes:
  • A piece published this Monday by Azeen Ghorayshi attempts to link social contagion and functional tics with gender identity. Social contagion theories about gender identity have been withdrawn in academic research journals — facts not included Ghorayshi’s piece. Other omissions include the fact that trans youth are experiencing increased negative mental health outcomes due to a record number of state bills proposed targeting them, harmful rhetoric and bullying.  
  • A September 2022 piece by Azeen Ghorayshi sensationalized healthcare for trans youth and attempted to position trans youth as somehow regretting receiving medical care, despite the fact that the science shows that any “regret” is wildly exaggerated and that study after study show positive outcomes.
  • A January 2022 piece also by Azeen Ghorayshi hinged on the idea that medical providers are in conflict over healthcare for trans youth, despite the fact that every major medical association supports healthcare for trans youth.
• In November 2022, the Times published a  story by Megan Twohey and Christina Jewett that got the science of healthcare for trans people so wrong that the WPATH had to write a multi-page tear-down explaining how the Times misrepresented the facts at every turn.
• A June 2022 New York Times Magazine article was cited by the State of Texas to further  target families of trans youth in court documents over their private, evidence-based healthcare decisions, and threaten to take trans youth away from loving homes.
• In May 2022, the Times published a piece by Michael Powell that baselessly asserted that trans women who participate in sports are somehow taking opportunities away from cisgender (non-trans)  women. Powell falsely asserts being trans is a “choice,” ignores evidence that states with inclusive policies have more girls participating in sports than states with bans, and ignores that opposition to inclusion in sports is a coordinated attack by an anti-LGBTQ organization designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Times hired a former attorney for that hate group as a full-time Opinion writer in January 2023 (see below for more).
• In October 2022, Times Opinion editors gave Pamela Paul, who is not LGBTQ, space for her unfounded thoughts about how LGBTQ people should describe themselves — space the Times could and should have provided to anyone with lived experience in the LGBTQ community to write about LGBTQ issues from a firsthand, authentic and accurate perspective.
• Times editors choose to platform Paul’s bias regularly, whether she is pitting transgender women against cisgender (non-transgender) women or exerting the ludicrous claim that her opinion on marginalized people is more worthy of amplification than the voices of marginalized people themselves. Note that Paul was hired weeks after the Times neglected to renew trans writer Jenny Boylan’s contract as an Opinion Page writer.
• In January 2023, the Times published and promoted a biased front-page story that spotlighted unfounded claims about trans youth by anti-trans activists. This story left out critical information about the challenges trans youth face when considering coming out or being unfairly outed, including parental rejection, dangerous violence and homelessness.
• Also in January 2023, the Times boasted about hiring David French, an attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center designated an anti-LGBTQ hate group that actively spreads misinformation about LGBTQ people and pushes baseless legislation and lawsuits to legalize discrimination.

Facts about trans youth:

• Best practices medical care for transgender youth is supported by every leading medical association including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, The Endocrine Society, and The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Statements here.
• In 2022, more than 220 bills disproportionately targeting LGBTQ youth were introduced in state legislatures to restrict access to school sports, healthcare, books and inclusive curriculum, and the bathroom. None of these bills are based in facts or medical expertise or supported by medical professionals who treat LGBTQ youth. Evidence is growing about the harm of these bills and other efforts to target trans youth:
  • 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth — and 66% of all LGBTQ youth — say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health.
  • 52% of trans and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 1 in 5 attempted suicide.
  • 36% of LGBTQ youth reported being physically threatened or harmed due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Using a trans youth's authentic name and pronouns improves mental health and reduces suicidal ideation.
• Psychology Today reviewed 16 studies on healthcare for trans youth: The Evidence for Trans Youth Gender-Affirming Medical Care.
• Learn more about trans youth from HRC’s Myths and Facts: Battling Disinformation About Transgender Rights.
• Learn more about misinformation and trans youth from ACLU-South Dakota’s Debunking the Myths That Tee Up Anti-Trans Bills.

Additional response to the Times’ irresponsible, biased coverage includes:

• The New York Times helped fuel an anti-trans panic in 2022. Will 2023 be any better? (Media Matters, 2/2023) https://www.mediamatters.org/new-york-times/new-york-times-helped-fuel-anti-trans-panic-2022-will-2023-be-any-better
• The New York Times Declares War on LGBTQ People With Hire of Anti-Trans Columnist (The Present Age, 1/2023) https://www.readtpa.com/p/david-french-nyt-anti-lgbtq
• The Worst Thing We Read This Week: Why Is the New York Times So Obsessed With Trans Kids? (Popula, 1/2023) https://popula.com/2023/01/29/the-worst-thing-we-read-this-week-why-is-the-new-york-times-so-obsessed-with-trans-kids/
• Uncompromising Transphobe David French Hired by NYT Opinion (Assigned Media, 1/2023) https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/uncompromising-transphobic-christian-writer-david-french-to-write-for-nyt
• Pamela Paul’s Gender Agenda (FAIR, 12/2022) https://fair.org/home/pamela-pauls-gender-agenda/
• The NYT’s Big Piece on Puberty Blockers Mucked Up the Most Important Point About Them  (Slate, 11/2022) https://slate.com/technology/2022/11/puberty-blockers-side-effects-controversy.html
• Reckless NY Times reporting fuels disinformation about trans youth (LGBTQ Nation, 11/2022) https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/11/reckless-ny-times-reporting-fuels-disinformation-trans-youth/
• The New York Times Posts Another Misinformed, Deranged Story About Trans Youth (Into, 09/2022) https://www.intomore.com/advocacy/new-york-times-posts-another-misinformed-deranged-story-trans-youth/
• Nobody is trying to ban the word “woman” (The Present Age, 7/20220) https://www.readtpa.com/p/woman
• The Times Published Some Transphobic BS Over the Weekend (Them, 7/2022) https://www.them.us/story/new-york-times-op-ed-women-gender-inclusive-language-misogyny-trans-rights
• Why Does the ‘New York Times’ Feel the Need To Inject Transphobia Into the Fight for Abortion Access? (The Mary Sue, 6/2022) https://www.themarysue.com/new-york-times-transphobic-abortion-article/

Full list of signers to the coalition letter:

Accountable for Equality

Advocates for Youth

Alaskans Together For Equality

Alejandra Caraballo

Ali Forney Center

Alok Vaid-Menon

Amber and Adam Briggle

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research

Amy Schneider 

Arianna’s Center

Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum

Ashlee Marie Preston

Athlete Ally

Basic Rights Oregon

Blair Imani

Braunwyn Windham-Burke

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers

Charlotte Clymer

Christian Fuscarino

Chris Mosier

City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission

Diverse and Resilient

Dr. David J. Johns

Dylan Mulvaney

Equality Arizona

Equality California

Equality Delaware, Inc.

Equality Federation

Equality Florida

Equality New Mexico

Equality North Carolina

Equality Ohio

Equality South Dakota

Equality Texas

Equality Virginia

EqualityMaine

Erin Reed

Ethan Cole

Fair Wisconsin

Fairness Campaign

Family Equality

Feminist Bird Club

Feminist Majority Foundation

Freedom Oklahoma

Gabrielle Union-Wade

Garden State Equality

Gender Justice

Georgia Equality

GLAAD

GLSEN

GMHC

GSAFE

Hannah Gadsby

Heather Dubrow

Helen Boyd & Rachel Crowl

Human Rights Campaign

It Gets Better Project

Jack Ketsoyan

Jameela Jamil

Jazz Jennings

Jen Grosshandler

Jen Richards

Jessica Garcia

Jessica Herthel

Joey Soloway

Johnny Sibilly

Jonathan Van Ness

Josh Helfgott

Judd Apatow

Ken Phillips

Kit Mee Kuen Yan

Lena Dunham

Lina Bradford

Louisiana Trans Advocates

Maeve DuVally

Maine Transgender Network

Marci Bowers, MD

Margaret Cho

Marti Cummings

Mass Equality

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

Matt Wolf

Matthew Shepard Foundation

Melissa Li

Melissa Sklarz

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center

Mixed Media Works

Montana Human Rights Network

Ms. magazine

National Black Justice Coalition

National LGBTQ Task Force

National Women’s Law Center 

Nefesh Los Angeles

New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

Nina West

NYC Pride

One Colorado

One Iowa

One Iowa Action

Out Montclair

OutFront Minnesota

OutNebraska

OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center

ParentsTogether

Partnership To End AIDS Status Inc.

Paul Feig

Peppermint

PFLAG Mt. Horeb

PFLAG National

PFLAG Newport Beach

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents blog

Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities

Precious Brady-Davis

Producer Entertainment Group

Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie

Rabbi Bonnie Margulis

Rabbi Susan Goldberg

Raquel Willis

Robyn Ochs

SAGE

Shakina

Southern Legal Counsel

Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC

Supermajority

Tennessee Equality Project

The GenderCool Project

The Hetrick Martin Institute

The Normal Anomaly Initiative, Inc.

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, IX Bishop of New Hampshire (ret.), The Episcopal Church

The Transformation Project

Tommy Dorfman

TRANSATHLETE

Transgender Education Network of Texas

Transgender Law Center

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund

Transinclusive Group

Trans Journalists Association

UltraViolet

Victoria Kirby York

WCB PFLAG

Wilson Cruz

Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Women’s March

World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)

Zackary Drucker