Policies
Corrections
The Trans Journalists Association is committed to accuracy and transparency. We will respond promptly to any claim that our publications present an inaccurate fact or invades a right of privacy. We will also make updates promptly if information emerges post-publication that makes it necessary to update or clarify information.
If a reader or subject of a story believes that some statement is inaccurate or otherwise actionable, that person can request a correction by sending a request to feedback@transjournalists.org.
Please include an email address or any other contact information at which you can be reached. Our stylebook and editorial team will carefully review any potential inaccuracy and decide whether an article needs to be corrected or modified in some other way. Whether a correction is made will be at the sole discretion of the editorial team.
When we do make corrections, here’s how you’ll know:
- We label these notes “Editor’s note,” include the date and time of the amendment, specify whether a change is a correction or update, and explain what prompted the revision. We do not repeat the error.
- Per the policies recommended in our own newsroom resource guide, we update names, pronouns, and/or photos to reflect gender transitions. We do not generally identify updates made to reflect gender transitions, but may make exceptions in rare instances.
- We only make such changes if the person affected requests it.
- If you would like us to update a past newsletter, article, or other past publication that uses outdated information, you must reach out directly to feedback@transjournalists.org.
- We don’t note update dates for minor typographical alterations.
Our stylebook and coverage guide is an evolving document. We do not track specific changes unless they merit correction. Any update to a stylebook entry or the overall stylebook will be reflected in its most recent update date.
Editorial Independence
We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between sources of all revenue and the production of our coverage materials, resources, events, and programming. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services, or opinions.
We accept gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Read more about our fundraising guidelines.
Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage or research in coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the resulting resources, reports, or recommendations. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
Our organization makes public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.
Fundraising Guidelines
The Trans Journalists Association is committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. The TJA raises revenue from a variety of sources to ensure organizational and financial health, and to further our mission of advancing fair and accurate coverage of trans communities and promoting professional development of trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive journalists.
The TJA's potential funding sources include grants from nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic foundations; sponsorships from nonprofit and for-profit organizations; event registration fees; member contributions; individual donations; fee-for-service contracts and other forms of mission-specific earned income; and various forms of paid advertising.
All those who contribute commit to helping us preserve our organizational and editorial independence and agree that the TJA retains sole editorial control over its programming, content, and decision-making.
The TJA seeks to avoid funding arrangements likely to:
- Raise questions about the TJA's independence.
- Present a conflict of interest with our work.
- Go against the TJA's commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, appearance, or religion.
Additionally, we emphasize the following policies:
- All financial contributors to TJA agree to the operational independence of the organization and the editorial independence of its members.
- We reserve the right to refuse any proposed sponsor, partner, or advertiser for any reason.
- Any entity wishing to represent itself as a partner organization to the TJA may only use our name, logo, or other information with TJA's written approval.
- Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors/sponsors or their products, services, or opinions.
- Sponsors or advertisers may not select panelists or speakers for any TJA events. TJA retains sole discretion over the selection of panelists or speakers.
- We do not accept any sponsored messaging or paid advertising from political parties, elected officials, political candidates, or from individuals or entities related to specific legislation.
- We make public all revenue sources and donors who give $5,000 or more per year.
- We will allow for anonymity only in cases approved by the board of directors.
- We will not accept more than 15% of our yearly revenue in donations from anonymous sources.
The TJA's board of directors reviews and decides all potential sponsors and funding arrangements.
Read more about our Code of Ethics here.
