TJA receives $50K seed grant from Ford Foundation

The Trans Journalists Association is excited to announce that we have been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Ford Foundation’s Creativity and Free Expression program — the first philanthropic gift to us since we attained fiscal sponsorship earlier this year. We're very grateful to the Ford Foundation for this important catalytic funding.

The grant will be used to build core services and capacity for the TJA's work with the journalism industry to improve coverage of transgender issues and to support our members in their careers. These efforts have been supported entirely by volunteers and individual donors up until now.

In-person meetup in D.C.!

RSVP at DCMedia.eventbrite.com — and save the date for Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6pm ET. Current TJA members can attend for free with a discount code. Check the TJA announcements channel or listserv for the code!

The mixer will take place at the WILD DAYS | Eaton Hotel Rooftop.

Covering trans issues well just means doing journalism well

This year, there’s news breaking that impacts trans communities on almost every single beat. For this scale of news story, just nailing the stylebook or the pronouns doesn’t cut it. Some of this year’s worst offenders have no faults in their language. They refer to trans people thoughtfully, carefully, and respectfully—while entertaining questions about whether we deserve civil rights and autonomy.

As reporters and editors, we have to ask better questions.

— TJA president Kae Petrin writes on the association's work and expansion this year

Read more on OpenNews' Source.

What we're reading

This State Tried To Pass Anti-Trans Laws For Years. Then A Right-Wing Media Star Got Involved.

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh has set his sights on banning gender-affirming care for trans youth — and an attack on Vanderbilt’s transgender health clinic shows he’s succeeding.

HuffPostLil Kalish

All The Only Ones: The missing piece of the puzzle : Embedded

In our first episode, we meet Zen, a Mexican-American, New Orleans native, coming into their transness, exploring its spectrum, as we learn about an historic trans person, Bernard, from Alabama in the early 1900s, fighting to be seen. They’re both navigating their identities in a world that is const…

NPRLaine Kaplan-Levenson

How Young Floridians Are Fighting “Florida-Grown Fascism” Under Ron DeSantis

“The obstacle is just living, at this point; trying to make sure that everybody lives in peace, and [can] get Florida back to what it was.”

Teen VogueCondé Nast

When Libs of TikTok tweets, threats increasingly follow

The pattern – Libs of TikTok tweets, then a bomb threat arrives – is more pervasive than previously known. And it has ratcheted up in the past two months.

USA TODAY, USA TODAY

Kentucky transgender minors, families plan to appeal to U.S. Supreme Court over new KY law from the Lexington Herald-Leader

With gap in state's LGBTQ+ history, 'activist archivists' step up to document it from The Keene Sentinel

Despite legal gender-affirming care, Alabama pharmacies are denying trans kids refills

A controversial ban on gender-affirming healthcare in Alabama is creating chaos and confusion, leaving families of transgender kids in a state of uncertainty and desperation.

Reckon SouthNico Lang

Davis, California, Faces Bomb Threats, Harassment From Anti-Trans Extremists

Bomb threats forced elementary schools to go on lockdown and a library to cancel a LGBTQ+ event this summer in Davis, California, after anti-trans activists including “Libs of TikTok” and a Moms for Liberty collaborator highlighted local residents’ views on social media.

Southern Poverty Law CenterMichael Edison Hayden

Under Katy ISD gender policy, student identities disclosed to parents 19 times since August

After passing a controversial gender policy in August, Katy ISD has sent 19 notifications to students’ homes.

Houston LandingMiranda Dunlap / Staff writer

School policy of outing of transgender students deemed unconstitutional

A California judge extended the pause on Chino Valley Unified’s policy, noting that its board members’ public statements undermined the stated goal of its disclosure policy.

Courthouse News ServiceEdvard Pettersson

Transgender youth in North Carolina dealing with medical “whiplash” of ban on gender-affirming care

Advocates say House Bill 808 is forcing delays in needed and desired health care and imposing burdens on those seeking care out of state.

North Carolina Health NewsRachel Crumpler

As Transgender ‘Refugees’ Flock to New Mexico, Waitlists Grow - KFF Health News

As many states have moved to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for trans people, a few states, including New Mexico, have codified protections. But those laws don’t always mean accessing care is simple or quick, as a surge in new patients in the state collides with limited doctors and clinics.

KFF Health NewsCecilia Nowell

Trans student kicked out of lead role of high school production of ‘Oklahoma!’ over gender policy

Max Hightower’s father said that just two weeks after his son got the role, the principal notified them about a new policy under which “only males can play males.”

NBC NewsMarlene Lenthang

#ICYMI: Where to find the TJA besides Twitter

We've been exploring other ways to reach our members and the journalism industry at large.

Other places you can find us:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Bluesky

In the immediate future, we plan to be most active on LinkedIn and through this newsletter. And as always, you can reach us by email contact@transjournalists.org.