Queering Language:

How problems concerning the

LGBTQ+ community are spoken
about in news outlets

CDA Project by Skye Gibbs

 “White House proposes a legal definition
of “Gender”

A statement was released by the New York Times stating that the Trump administration and the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) was interested in creating a legal definition of gender. This is certainly
targeting transgender individuals, stating that gender would be defined based on a person’s sex at birth.

“....”on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable”.”
“Right wing” news
● Fox News
○ Barely shows any real interviews: reporters read quotes

● Wall Street Journal

○ Behind a paywall, but title makes their stance clear
■ “Title IX was right to say ‘Sex’, not ‘Gender’: “Ms. Navratilova and
Title IX must become the common-sense beacons of light with
both sports and social policy based on biological science rather
than progressive ideology.”
 “White
House
considers
legal
definition
for gender”
“Left wing” news

● Washington Post
○ Has an actual trans woman speaking on the issue

○ Using full(er) videos of press conferences and interviews

● New York Times

○ Uses language and pictures suggesting they are against the idea
■ Promoting hashtag #WontBeErased
Defining Gender:

What a Narrow
Framework Could
Mean…..
Centrist/Non-biased News

● PBS
○ Raises the question of “Is it legal?” instead of just reporting on it
○ (?) Usage of terms like “ transgendered.”
● NPR
○ Heavily features posts under the hashtag #WeWontBeErased
 Trump Interview

● Fox News only showed a part of the interview

○ “I want to protect everybody”

MEDIA BIAS

● Washington Post showed the initial question:

○ “What about the promise to protect the LGBT community?”
○ Later also shows a different press conference about the Trans military
ban
Conclusion:
● Reactions to reports in comments are often more telling than the reports
themselves
● Media bias isn’t clear if you only look at 1 source
● Who is exercising power?
 Resources
Doyne, Shannon. “Learning With: '‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 22
Oct. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/learning/learning-with-transgender-definition-trump-administration.html.

“HHS Reportedly Considering a Limited Definition of Gender. Is It Legal?” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 22 Oct. 2018, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/hhs-
reportedly-considering-a-limited-definition-of-gender-is-it-legal.

Journal, Wall Street. “Opinion | Title IX Was Right to Say 'Sex,' Not 'Gender'.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 26 Feb. 2019,
www.wsj.com/articles/title-ix-was-right-to-say-sex-not-gender-11551221842.

News, Fox. “White House Considers Legal Definition for Gender.” YouTube, YouTube, 22 Oct. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sURH-GLKxCc.

Post, Washington. “Defining Gender: What a Narrow Framework Could Mean for the Transgender Community.” YouTube, YouTube, 22 Oct. 2018,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIaLWtSDWZQ.

Wamsley, Laurel. “Trans People Say They #WontBeErased As Trump Administration Mulls Defining 'Sex'.” NPR, NPR, 22 Oct. 2018,
www.npr.org/2018/10/22/659553583/trans-people-say-they-wontbeerased-as-trump-administration-mulls-defining-sex.