For Transgender Awareness Week, tips on how to talk about us

Published November 15, 2023

Here in Transgender Awareness Week, the Trans Journalists Association put together a list of seven conversations about best practices for covering trans communities and the issues we face:

  1. Tips for navigating uncertain gender identity during breaking news from the Trans Journalists Association
  2. Covering trans issues well just means doing journalism well from Source
  3. Getting it right: Reporting on laws that prohibit gender-affirming care for minors from Association of Health Care Journalists
  4. Reporting on Anti-Trans Legislation: In Service to Whom? from the Solidarity Journalism Initiative
  5. The complexities and nuances of transgender coverage from Columbia Journalism Review
  6. Trans and gender-fluid kids are under attack. How can we tell their stories without furthering harm? from Poynter
  7. How journalists can improve their coverage of the trans community from NBCU Academy

As always, these have so much helpful guidance for anyone communicating in any form about trans people, whether as a journalist, an advocate, an activist or a friend.

The TJA’s Stylebook and Coverage Guide has even more.

These are scary times for us. People want to “eradicate” us, and an entire political party seems just fine with that. Even our so-called “allies” sometimes don’t seem all that interested in showing support beyond a “Like” or two on social media. Learning how to talk about us and how to push back on misinformation (and disinformation) can be so helpful.


Image of trans people with trans pride flag by Lorelyn Medina via Shutterstock.