Sunday, February 19, 2023

Hundreds call out New York Times for ‘biased coverage’ of trans people in open letter

The newspaper said it has received the message from GLAAD and welcomes their feedback while defending its “journalistic mission.”


By Alessia Passafiume
Staff Reporter
Wed., Feb. 15, 2023

More than 100 journalists, writers, public figures and LGBTQ organizations signed an open letter addressed to the New York Times on Wednesday to raise concerns about what they’re calling “inaccurate, harmful trans coverage” in the newspaper.

While the Times has “long been the standard for excellence in journalism,” its coverage of transgender people over the past year has been “irresponsible,” reads the letter released by GLAAD — an LGBT media advocacy organization — and signed by the likes of Hannah Gadsby, Judd Apatow, Jameela Jamil, Gabrielle Union, Transgender Law Center and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

The open letter isn’t in response to any one story, but rather what they’re calling a pattern of anti-trans coverage, the accompanying press release referencing a list of Times articles they say miss the mark and put trans people in harm’s way and further stigmatize the community.




“The Times has repeatedly platformed cisgender (non-transgender) people spreading inaccurate and harmful misinformation about transgender people and issues,” the open letter reads. “This is damaging to the paper’s credibility. And it is damaging to all LGBTQ people, especially our youth, who say debates about trans equality negatively impact their mental health, which is a contributing factor to the high suicide rates for LGBTQ youth.”

“We won’t stand for the Times platforming lies, bias, fringe theories, and dangerous inaccuracies.”

A separate yet similar letter — which has since amassed thousands of signatures from the public, Times contributors and other journalists — is addressed directly to the Times’s associate managing editor for standards.

“We’ve had enough,” GLAAD tweeted Wednesday morning with photos of a billboard van highlighting their message. “Today we are outside of the Times building to send a clear message.”



Among their demands are for the newspaper to “stop printing irresponsible information” about trans people, to meet with trans community leaders and to hire trans writers and editors.

In an emailed statement to the Star, New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said the organization has received the letter and welcomes their feedback. Stadtlander did not say whether the Times will meet their demands when asked.



“We understand how GLAAD sees our coverage. But at the same time, we recognize that GLAAD’s advocacy mission and The Times’s journalistic mission are different,” Stadtlander wrote. “As a news organization, we pursue independent reporting on transgender issues that include profiling groundbreakers in the movement, challenges and prejudice faced by the community, and how society is grappling with debates about care.”

“The very news stories criticized by GLAAD in their letter reported deeply and empathetically on issues of care and well-being for trans teens and adults. Our journalism strives to explore, interrogate and reflect the experiences, ideas and debates in society — to help readers understand them. Our reporting did exactly that and we’re proud of it.”

GLAAD said they have not heard from the Times directly, but saw their response in the media.


Alessia Passafiume is a GTA-area based staff reporter for the Star’s Express Desk. Reach her via email: apassafiume@thestar.ca

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