CLARIFYING THE ROLE OF THE COALITION OF 100+ ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS CALLING ON THE NEW YORK TIMES  TO STOP PRINTING BIASED, IRRESPONSIBLE TRANS STORIES

GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, alongside a coalition of 100+ organizations and leaders concerned about the New York Times’ biased, irresponsible coverage, is again clarifying the role of the coalition and facts about the delivery of the coalition letter.

STATEMENT FROM SARAH KATE ELLIS, PRESIDENT & CEO OF GLAAD:
“The New York Times continues to duck responsibility to readers and LGBTQ people in refusing to recognize specific critiques of its inaccurate, biased and harmful coverage. On February 15, 2023, members of a coalition of more than 100 organizations and leaders including GLAAD, delivered a letter to the New York Times. The coalition emailed and hand-delivered this coalition letter to the New York Times the morning of February 15, 2023. 

The same day, a separate letter was sent to the Times by a growing list of now 1,000+ New York Times contributors. While the two letters, one from a coalition of organizations and leaders and a separate one from contributors, were delivered on the same day–the delivery date remains the only coordination between the two groups. This contributors’ letter was, and continues to be, a wholly separate effort from the coalition letter of organizations and leaders. 

Contrary to claims by the Times, GLAAD and the coalition did not deliver the contributors’ letter. GLAAD also played no role in drafting the contributors’ letter or generating signatures for the contributors’ letter. 

The coalition of organizations and leaders continues to ask the Times to acknowledge its reporting and leadership failures in covering transgender people; to meet with transgender people; and hire more trans people on staff. 

Efforts by Times leadership to conflate the letters and efforts of these two distinct and separate efforts are entirely inaccurate. Rather than confronting the fact that their coverage has been inaccurate and irresponsible, and is resulting in loud and thoughtful criticism from internal and external parties, the Times is shamefully attempting to discredit their own contributors.

For the record, the Times has not responded directly to the coalition, more than one month later. The Times also did not acknowledge receipt of the coalition letter that GLAAD emailed to editors and delivered in-person.

The coalition asked that the Times stop printing biased, irresponsible pieces about trans people. The very next day, the Times printed a column by non-LGBTQ columnist Pamela Paul defending the staunch, dangerous, anti-trans extremism of J.K. Rowling.

The coalition also asked that the Times meet with leaders from the trans community within two months, to hear their concerns and get educated about the realities of being trans. More than one month later, our coalition has not heard back about this meeting. Apparently, Times leadership does not have one hour to meet with trans people. GLAAD and fellow LGBTQ organizations continue to be eager to assist with scheduling this critical meeting.

Finally, the coalition asked that the Times hire trans writers and editors within three months. Because the Times has not responded to this, we are unsure of any progress, but given the Times’ lack of engagement with the LGBTQ community on the serious concerns with its coverage, we are skeptical there has been movement with hiring trans writers and editors. 

Just this week the Times elevated a barely-newsworthy story about a small private university to the front page and to app users, instead of coverage of anti-trans legislation that is moving forward in states around the country. Why? To stoke the flames of anti-trans extremism in America. There is no other explanation. The Times is choosing misinformation and clicks when they should be choosing facts and integrity. 

Our coalition of organizations and leaders continues to grow, and we remain committed to seeing meaningful change at the Times. Trans people deserve better. New Yorkers deserve better. And all New York Times readers deserve better.”