- Gender identity is the accurate term to describe a person’s internal sense of their own gender. Gender diverse people have existed throughout history and cultures around the world. The growing visibility of transgender and nonbinary people is not an ideology and their existence is not up for debate.
- “Gender ideology” is not a term transgender people use to describe themselves, it is an inaccurate term deployed by opponents to undermine and dehumanize transgender and nonbinary people.
- “Ideology” describes a political construct and opinion that can be debated, argued about, and can change over time. By inaccurately claiming gender identity is an “ideology,” opponents of transgender people and their equality attempt to diminish the real need for legal protections to be treated equally and for social acceptance essential for trans and nonbinary people’s safety.
- High profile anti-transgender social media accounts have falsely and harmfully dismissed being transgender and nonbinary as a “pseudo ideology,” “cult,” or “movement” that should therefore not be believed rather than simply accepted. “Gender ideology” is frequently used by longtime opponents of LGBTQ equality to support discriminatory anti-LGBTQ bills. Anti-LGBTQ social media accounts use the term to evade platform hate speech and content policies designed to protect LGBTQ users from harassment and discrimination.
- Research shows “gender ideology” as an anti-LGBTQ trope can be traced back to Catholic conservative groups in the U.S. in the 1990s.
- Transgender people and the transgender community as a whole are not a monolith and do not represent or subscribe to a single “ideology” or political party. Being transgender is just part of who they are, and their experiences vary widely and significantly.
BEST PRACTICES FOR REPORTERS:
- Refer to being transgender, or refer to the transgender community. You can also refer to the movement for transgender equality and acceptance.
- Include and depict transgender people in your coverage with their full humanity – alongside loved ones, making contributions to their communities, and as part of our collective neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and faith denominations.