The Media School

Every once in a while I check out this website, Poynter…

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a non-profit journalism school and research organization in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The school is the owner of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and the International Fact-Checking Network. It also operates PolitiFact.

Well they had an article on writing about us in the media,

Opinion | Trans and gender-fluid kids are under attack. How can we tell their stories without furthering harm?
There's no ‘one size’ answer, but offering anonymity and seeking diversity can help get real kids’ perspectives at a dangerous time.
Poynter
By: Nora Neus
April 6, 2023

[…]

But by the time the story aired, Wade was already questioning whether he was actually a boy. Within a few months, he transitioned, choosing his new name from the Ryan Reynolds movie “Deadpool.” Today, Wade is a happy, well-adjusted 10-year-old in fifth grade who still loves art, especially drawing anime, and hanging out with his brother.

I’ve stayed in touch with the Lohman family over the years as Wade has grown up. When I found out Wade had transitioned, I worried that our somewhat-viral report was still out there online, using his deadname and presenting him as a girl. Did Wade regret speaking to me, on camera, for our CNN report? Had our story done more harm than good? I was scared of the answer, so until now, I didn’t ask.

So what does he say about interviewing trans people?

“Anonymity was part of the conversation from the beginning,” Neas said. That decision also gave her access to kids who would have otherwise not consented to an interview at all.

“There was definitely a very real fear of retaliation from the state,” she said. “So (anonymity) really does help keep these kids as safe as they could be, while also giving them space to tell their story.”

[…]

Reporting helps give Lauren agency in an area in which they feel largely out of control. They offered to use their full name for this article, even though their parents and many in their town do not know that they are trans nonbinary. You’ll notice I’m not using their last name.

He also suggested that…

Journalists should especially seek out trans youth of color and, Webb said, voices that are often missing from conversations about anti-trans legislation.

“Most of the trans voices, when you talk to trans voices, they’re all white. That’s ridiculous,” she said. “We’re even more affected by it because a lot of these laws hit us double.”

Trans people of color of all ages are more likely to be victims of harassment, intimidation and violence. According to the National Center of Transgender Equality’s 2022 Remembrance Report, 47 trans people in the U.S. lost their lives due to violence in the previous year. 70% were Black trans women.

[...]

Most families with trans kids I’ve spoken with today say they’d be skeptical about exposing themselves to any media attention, anonymous or otherwise, that they’re just trying to batten down the hatches and survive the storm. Multiple parents told me that through tears, thanking me for writing this piece but declining to speak to me for it.

“Because if they haven’t been burned by a reporter, they’ve heard from people who have,” Karleigh Webb said. “And one thing about Mama Bears and Dragon Dads? They talk. Parents of trans youth talk to each other. It’s a survival instinct.”

I have interviewed many of times, some good some bad. The good one was from WTNH, she used my preferred name and pronouns at the time. Her questions were respected of my pronouns and were not intrusive. While another reporter wanted my birth name, use my birth gender, and he wanted to know what was between my legs.

The article goes on to say,

Wade Lohman has advice: “Listen to what the kids say. Don’t inflict a lot of pressure. Be kind about it.”

His parents have a more tangible piece of advice: Don’t ask a gender fluid kid what their genitals look like. And honestly, that seems like a good rule across the board, no matter a kid’s gender identity.

Cora Neas recommended remembering one simple truth: “These trans kids are still kids… I think most adults don’t really know how to be interviewed by a journalist,” she said. “You still want to tell their stories, but yeah, you don’t want to lead them into questions.”

[…]

“At the end of the day,” Cora Neas said, it’s about “safety, as opposed to my desire to tell a story my way.”

I have been Sunday morning talking heads shows from all the major networks. All but one was did the show respectfully, except one major network (And it wasn’t a Fox local channel.) and he was hammering me about trans sports. He came at the questions about trans sports and he was trying a “Gotcha” moment.

On my website I talk about doing interviews and I say,

Tips For Being Interviewed By The Media

1.  Don’t do it!
2.  If you do, think of sound bites (7 or 8 seconds). Once when I was lobbying for ENDA down in Washington DC I gave a five minute interview and all they used was one sentence “I don’t think it will pass this year, I think we are in it for the long haul.” And they called me a “seasoned professional” which I got a chuckle out of since that was the first time I lobbied.
3. (Corollary to #2) Be prepared for them to use your statement out of context in the worst possible way.
4. Know what key words not to use and how to spin a negative question positively (Why do you think that the “bathroom bill” should pass?”*)
5. Remember most people probably do not know the issues you are being interviewed about, so keep the explanation basic… “Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and trans people face discrimination everyday which is why...”
6. Don’t use abbreviations (see above)
7. You might want to talk to the reporter beforehand an mention the “AP Style Sheet” or GLAAD Media Guide for the correct use of pronouns.
8. And above all, realize that you are going to be stopped on the street and told “I saw you on the news last night!” That happened to me after I gave an interview; the clerk at the deli said that to me.
9. Also be aware that they may use your photos or video for other stories. They may use a picture of you walking in the background as they are talking about a trans person who committed a crime.