By TJA Editor in events —

The Trans Coverage Track recap

Takeaways on framing trans stories, covering BIPOC trans communities, investigating anti-trans legislation, and more.

Two-dozen gender-diverse journalists pose in front of California trees.
Trans Journalists Association members and supporters gathered for a reception at the Investigative Reporters & Editors conference.

In June, TJA gathered in Anaheim, California, for the Investigative Reporters & Editors conference, the largest gathering of investigative journalists in the U.S. We hosted the Trans Coverage Track at the conference – which included four expert panels that focused on various aspects of reporting on trans issues – to help journalists cover stories about trans communities with care, dignity, and compassion.

Here are some of the highlights.

Table of contents

Facts, fallacies, and frames

Getting trans stories right in 2024 election coverage.

Right-wing politicians are pushing trans issues to the fore — in campaign rhetoric, proposed bills and executive actions — as they try to mobilize their base. In the process, trans issues have turned into a story that spans a broad range of beats, from health to education to sports to public accommodations, and beyond. On this panel, editors experienced with trans coverage discussed key issues to consider when covering the topic, traps to avoid, and stories that are being missed.

Our speakers for this panel were:

Moderator Noia Karr posed this question: “Is the problem that [journalists] are getting the facts wrong? Or that we’re getting the framing wrong?”

Ina Fried, Senior Technology Correspondent at Axios, responded:

“[A story] starts with framing. It starts with, ‘What is the story I’m telling and why?’ It also means exploring the motives and qualifications of who you talk to. We’re always getting this wrong some way as a profession — not out of malice, but out of ignorance. Out of a sense that we have to be fair and balanced — and we do. But being fair and balanced doesn’t mean… positioning someone who’s an expert in the [gender-affirming healthcare] field with someone whose only expertise is that they’re opposed to a certain group getting care.”

Here's a snippet from the panel:

Politicization of children and families

Enforcement and consequences of anti-trans policies

Schools are the new battleground in the culture wars, with state and national organizations, teachers’ unions, parents and students clashing over curricula, gender, sports, bathrooms and more. This panel focused on the connections behind the multiple efforts to regulate what happens in the classroom, how children and families have become the focal point in politics, and the consequences of anti-trans policies on them.

Our speakers for this panel were:

Here are some highlights from the panel:

Investigating the groups organizing anti-trans action and legislation

Nearly 600 anti-trans bills were filed in 2023, and 2024 looks to be a continuation of that legislative onslaught. And that's not to mention fast-moving policies in school boards and state departments. The panelists discussed what, exactly, the laws and policies do, how they are being implemented, and who they are affecting. (Hint: Everyone, not just trans people).

Our speakers for this panel were:

Here are some tips the panelists had for reporters covering anti-trans legislation:

  • Read the entire bill. Seems simple enough, but the most important details can be in the fine print.
  • Research who introduced the bill and check to see if any far-right groups donated to their campaign.
  • Watch out for copycat bills that use the same language as bills introduced in other states. Vivian McCall, staff writer at The Stranger, suggested copying paragraphs from the bill and pasting them into Google to see if other bills come up. 
  • Consider the impact of the bill on LGBTQIA+ communities. Lil Kalish, LGBTQ+ Rights Reporter at Huffington Post, said, “The unintended consequence is just this greater surveillance and policing... So look to see how these laws and policies end up inviting vigilante justice.”
  • Talk to historians about the historical context of the bill in that area. 
  • Reach out to lawyers and advocates on the ground for additional context.

Lightning talks: Trans Stories Edition

Seven journalists pose in a conference room in front of Trans Journalists Association logos
Our lightning talk speakers (plus Izz LaMagdeleine behind the camera).

The 5-minute, TED Talk-style lightning talks by TJA fellows and speakers introduced key skills and high-level concepts about trans coverage, and challenged the audience's assumptions about the ways our industry covers trans communities and the issues that affect us.

The lightning talks were:

  • "Considering gender on all beats" by Drew Costley
  • "How to read a bill for dummies" by Vivian McCall
  • "Fact-checking misinformation" Izz Scott LaMagdeleine
  • "What archiving and memory work can contribute to journalism" by Nasir Anthony Montalvo
  • "How to be or help the only person doing trans coverage" by Ileana Garnand
  • "Telling intersectional stories" by Jireh Deng
  • "Partisan language crash course" Graph Massara
  • "Using AI for evaluating misinformation and style problems" by Gina Chua

Here are some highlights:

Some words from our fellows

This year, TransLash Media and the MacArthur Foundation supported fellowships that allowed trans journalists to attend the conference.

Each of these fellows was either an editor with a vision for doing more investigative work in their newsroom or a reporter with a track record of strong public records-driven work.

Here they are at the TJA reception:

A photo of smiling gender-expansive journalists on an outdoor patio.
Photo by Jireh Deng.
Our fellows on their conference experiences
"I've never been to a journalism conference where I've seen so many trans people in one room... It was life-changing, to say the least, to know that I'm not alone and that there so many of us working across the country and doing good work at our respective newsrooms. The TJA fellowship offered me an opportunity to present my work at IRE, which is a pretty big deal to say that you've spoken on a panel." -Jireh Deng
"My newsroom and I would normally not have the resources to attend such an expensive conference as IRE. Attending just this four-day conference gave me access to multitudes of free software, connections, and tips that I'll be able to call on for years and propagate to Kansas Citians. Overall, it was a beautiful experience as a Black queer person to take up space that is often monolithic, and showcase that trans people are uniquely more than qualified to be leading innovators and changemakers in the investigative space." -Nasir Anthony Montalvo
"I live in Savannah, Georgia, so the 2024 IRE conference — held 2,435 miles away in Anaheim, California — wasn't initially in my cards. However, my mama taught me never to pass up free money for cool opportunities, so, I knew I had to go for it when I saw TJA was offering fellowships to attend the conference. I'm so glad I did! I spoke on two panels, met incredible people and learned invaluable skills that I will pass on to the rest of my newsroom. I'm so grateful to be part of this organization and can't wait to see what's next for us." -Izz Scott LaMagdeleine

Meet our fellows and learn more about them here.

Thank you to our sponsors

The Trans Coverage Track was possible thanks to our major sponsors: Democracy Fund, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Knight Foundation. A huge thank you to IRE, too, for collaborating with us to showcase the work of trans journalists and support fair and accurate coverage of trans communities. 

A special thank you to TransLash Media for funding fellowships that made it possible for trans journalists to attend IRE; Borealis Philanthropy for a rapid response grant from its Fund for Trans Generations; and Aron Pilhofer for early support that got this event off the ground.

To support our work, you can make a donation or learn more about sponsoring us.

Your donation, no matter the size, makes a difference
✍️
Written by Leo Aquino

Subscribe to Trans Journalists Association

Don’t miss out on the latest posts. Sign up to be informed of updates from the TJA.
jamie@example.com
Subscribe