Contact: press@glaad.org
Join GLAAD and take action for acceptance.
Trending
- Responsible Coverage of the 2024 DNC Must Include LGBTQ Voices and Issues
- Chicago: Five Black and Queer Owned-Businesses You Should Visit During The 2024 DNC
- GLAAD Reflects on the Legacy of Talk Show Host and Ally Phil Donahue After his Passing
- The GLAAD Wrap: Trailers for “All Shall Be Well” and “Only Murders in the Building,” Clip of “Lover of Men,” New Music by Lady Gaga, Vienna Vienna, and More!
- WATCH: Elliot Page and Hillary Baack Talk ‘Close to You:’ “This film is about what it means to feel truly seen.”
- Love Has No Labels Partners With GLAAD For ‘American Dreams’ Anti-Discrimination Campaign
- TIFF 2024: ‘Will & Harper’, ‘Rez Ball’, ‘Queer’, Elton John and Tegan & Sara Docus and More Set For 49th Edition of Fest
- Singer Elle King Claps Back at Father Rob Schneider’s Anti-LGBTQ Rhetoric: “There are no politics when it comes to love.”
GLAAD responds to ABC News interview with Bruce Jenner, releases tip sheet for journalists
Update 6/1/2015: Read GLAAD's updated tip sheet for journalists reporting on Caitlyn Jenner.
NEW YORK, NY – GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today responded to Bruce Jenner's interview on a Diane Sawyer special edition of ABC's "20/20."
"Today, millions of people learned that someone they know is transgender," said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. "By sharing this story, Bruce Jenner has shined a light on what it means to be transgender and live authentically in the face of unimaginable public scrutiny. Though Jenner's journey is one that is deeply personal, it is also one that will impact and inspire countless people around the world."
"Every transgender person's journey is unique, and by choosing to share this story, Bruce Jenner adds another layer to America's understanding of what it means to be transgender," said Nick Adams, GLAAD's Director of Programs, Transgender Media. "We hope that after hearing Jenner's story, people will want to learn more about the issues and challenges facing their transgender friends, co-workers, and family members. Stories like these will help create a world in which everyone can express their gender identity without fear of discrimination and violence."
GLAAD also published the tip sheet below for journalists covering Jenner and transgender issues.
TIP SHEET: TRANSGENDER TERMINOLOGY AND TIPS FOR COVERING BRUCE JENNER'S ABC INTERVIEW
Please consider the following guidelines when covering Bruce Jenner's disclosure that he is transgender. This style guide will help you create respectful and accurate stories while avoiding common mistakes and clichés.
DO use the name and pronoun a transgender person prefers. Some transgender people prefer that a new name and/or pronoun be used immediately upon their disclosure that they are transgender. However, other transgender people do not. At this time, Bruce Jenner has not indicated that a new name or pronoun should be used, so please respect his wishes and refer to Bruce Jenner by his current name and with male pronouns until such time as he requests something different.
DO consider including a sentence in your story that explains that you will be referring to Bruce Jenner with his birth name and male pronouns because he has not indicated that he prefers a new name or pronoun be used. This will alert your audience that you are aware of the issue, and have chosen to follow Jenner's wishes. If Jenner chooses to adopt a new name and/or pronoun in the future, GLAAD will publish an updated Tip Sheet with best practices based on that information.
DO describe people who transition as transgender, and use transgender as an adjective. For example, "Bruce Jenner is a transgender woman." AVOID statements like "Bruce Jenner is a transgender." Do NOT use "transgendered" – transgender never needs an extraneous "-ed" at the end. Do NOT use "transsexual" or "transvestite."
DO refer to Bruce Jenner's female identity as his gender identity, not his sexual orientation. Gender identity is one's own internal, deeply held sense of being male or female. Sexual orientation is whom one is attracted to. Gender identity and sexual orientation are separate characteristics and should not be confused or conflated.
DON'T speculate about medical procedures transgender people may or may not choose to undertake as part of their transition. This information is a private matter and is not pertinent to stories about Jenner's life. Overemphasizing the medical aspects of someone's transition is reductive and insulting to transgender people.
AVOID the phrase "born a man" when referring to Jenner. If it is necessary to describe for your audience what transgender means, consider: "While Bruce Jenner was assigned male at birth, he identifies as a woman."
For a more extensive Reference Guide on covering transgender issues, please visit glaad.org/reference/transgender. For additional resources visit glaad.org/transgender.
About GLAAD: GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
Add A Comment
Related posts
Share this
Our Picks
Join GLAAD and take action for acceptance.
Topics
Don't Miss
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today…