Journalist Resource Series: Guide for Reporting on Anti-Trans Violence

No matter the color of our skin, what we do for work, or our genders, we all deserve to be represented fairly and accurately in the media. But right-wing politicians and news personalities are working diligently to mobilize their base by increasing fear and anger toward transgender people. They exploit the lack of familiarity with trans people to co-opt the media narrative, peddling dangerous falsehoods about our identities and our communities. Together, we must reject their falsehoods and vitriol and take back control over the media narrative by telling fuller, more humanizing stories about trans lives.

Journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion. Journalism on anti-trans violence¹ should increase readers’ understanding of such violence, and in doing so, guide them toward the solutions to ending it. The purpose of this guide is to increase journalists’ comfort level and ability to tell trans stories by offering analyses, information, and further resources on trans communities and anti-trans violence.

Remove narratives that reinforce victim-blaming

Victim-blaming occurs when the blame for a crime or harm is placed on the victim rather than the perpetrator or underlying societal factors. Recognize that victim-blaming narratives not only perpetuate harm² but also reinforce biases and stigmatization against marginalized communities, particularly transgender individuals.

Journalists should approach anti-trans violence with sensitivity and empathy, challenging harmful framings³ that suggest victims of violence contributed to their own attacks.

Suggestions for shifting the frame include: 

Center trans peoples’ voices and experiences, creating an affirming space for us to share our stories in a respectful and empowering manner. This approach helps to counteract victim-blaming narratives and fosters empathy and understanding. Despite overwhelming violence, trans people have hopes, dreams, and loved ones, and deserve the same care and respect we all do.

While it is important to acknowledge the seriousness of anti-trans violence, providing context and analysis is equally crucial¹⁸. This approach helps your audience understand the root causes of this violence and encourages them to engage in meaningful conversations and actions.

Highlight systemic violence instead of interpersonal violence

When reporting on incidents of anti-transgender violence, it is crucial for journalists to highlight the systemic factors that contribute to these acts, rather than solely focusing on individual or interpersonal dynamics.

In 2021 alone, a trans person died by violent means or suicide on average every 4.5 days. These incidents do not exist in isolation from one another, but rather as parts of a whole, resulting from harmful systems that place us at risk for violence. Many systems claiming to offer support or resources at best neglect or exclude transgender people; at worst, as with policing, they directly perpetuate violence against our communities.

Put plainly: anti-trans violence is an epidemic. As with every epidemic, the solutions lie not in analyzing specific incidents, but rather in understanding and addressing its root causes.

Without exception, the overwhelming majority of victims of fatal anti-trans violence are Black trans women and femmes–65% of all victims between 2015 and 2023, per Transgender Law Center’s own tracking research.

By prioritizing discussion of systemic violence, journalists provide a more comprehensive understanding of how various institutions intersect in such a way to create the conditions for this violence, including education, employment, healthcare, housing, and government agencies like ICE²⁴.

Reporting that ignores the role of these systems is not only incomplete—it is inaccurate.

Speak with trans leaders and experts instead of looking outside the community

When seeking knowledge and guidance on anti-trans violence, reach out to trans leaders³² and community members; we hold the solutions to violence and we know best how to talk about it. Prioritize interviewing trans leaders, activists, and experts³³ who possess lived experiences and expertise in advocating for trans rights and safety. Ensure that their voices are prominently featured in your reporting to provide an accurate and nuanced perspective on challenges and solutions.

Center community-led solutions

When reporting on anti-trans violence, it is essential to highlight community-led solutions that don’t rely on state intervention. Examples include trans-led initiatives³⁴, grassroots organizations³⁵, and projects that actively work towards addressing violence against trans individuals. By centering these solutions, you can empower communities to be seen as agents of change and reduce reliance on carceral measures, such as law enforcement.

Emphasize abolitionist approaches to addressing violence

When addressing remedies to transphobic violence, journalists must challenge the prevailing narrative that retribution and punishment are an effective solution to harm. Responsible reporting should incorporate perspectives from activists, scholars, and community members who champion abolitionist approaches that seek to transform society rather than carceral measures enforced by systems and agencies designed to perpetuate the oppression of BIPOC, trans, immigrant, and disabled communities³⁶. Abolitionist frameworks encourage investing in resources such as mental health support³⁷, education³⁸, and housing³⁹ to address the root causes of violence and create safer environments.

Hire trans journalists and diversify newsrooms

Newsrooms play a crucial role in shaping public discourse and understanding of current events. By actively hiring trans journalists, they can foster a more nuanced, diverse, and reflective media landscape across beats and coverage areas. Trans journalists bring unique perspectives and life experiences that enrich news coverage, ensuring stories resonate with a broader range of communities. Their presence helps debunk stereotypes and biases, providing a more accurate portrayal of the diverse populace they serve. Additionally, trans journalists can offer a deeper understanding of issues related to gender identity and LGBTQ+ rights, promoting greater accuracy, empathy, and sensitivity in reporting. Embracing trans voices in newsrooms is not just an act of inclusivity; it is a strategic imperative for news organizations to achieve comprehensive and authentic storytelling that represents the full tapestry of society.

Between 2015 and 2023, nearly 70% of all known victims of fatal anti-trans violence were deadnamed or misgendered by police and consequently by news reports.

Even while actively misgendering a victim, police reports, witnesses, and families will often hint at a victim’s trans identity. Learning to identify common context clues that a victim may have been trans is critical. While not enough on their own to verify a victim’s gender identity, these clues signal it’s necessary to do so prior to publishing an individual’s gender and name.

As a journalist, it’s important to prioritize accuracy while still meeting deadlines. A good general rule to avoid replicating mis- or disinformation⁴⁰ is only publishing details your own newsroom has verified. At times, this may require you to publish partial information, particularly in breaking news stories, then update it once you’ve verified an individual’s gender identity.

This applies whether or not you’re knowingly reporting on a transgender person.

Learning about the victim’s life

In addition to often being inaccurate, police reports primarily emphasize the details of a person’s death—with little to no information about who they were in life. When journalists rely on law enforcement as the sole or primary source of information, reporting tends to replicate this disparity.

When gathering information, take time to consider who is a reliable source of information about a victim’s life. Be sure to reach out to people who affirmed a victim’s transgender identity, such as supportive family members, friends, colleagues, queer and trans-led community organizations, and community members. Absent the ability of the deceased to self-identify their gender, identifying and speaking with individuals the victim trusted is the most accurate way to confirm this information.

Treat each individual as unique, taking the time to learn and understand who they were in life, and in doing so help our communities honor and celebrate them as the complex human being they were.

Cover Anti-Trans Violence Beyond Breaking News

Anti-trans violence exists beyond breaking news cycles. Transphobia is woven into the very fabric of our society.

This goes beyond deaths, or even physical violence. State-sanctioned campaigns of hatred have taken over legislative sessions. Transgender people routinely endure transphobic vitriol through bullying, harassment, and other forms of emotional and psychological violence. Research estimates that 1 in 2 transgender people have experienced some form of sexual violence within their lifetime⁴¹.

To fully and accurately contextualize anti-trans violence to your readers, it’s critical to cover the myriad ways in which it manifests—not just instances of fatal anti-trans violence.

Include state and local trans leadership in your reporting. Your local ACLU affiliate, Equality Federation member, and Transgender Law Center may be helpful in connecting you with trans-led organizations.

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Reference

1. Stylebook and Coverage Guide – Transgender Journalists Association ↩︎
2. TLC (PDF) Resource- See Us As People ↩︎
3. “Domestic Drama,” “Love Killing,” or “Murder”:Does the Framing of Femicides Affect Readers’ Emotional and Cognitive Responses to the Crime? – Sage Journals ↩︎
4. Deadnamed – ProPublica ↩︎
5. Misgendering: What it is and why it matters – Harvard Health Publishing ↩︎
6. The Trans PMisgendering: What it is and why it matters – Harvard Healthanic Defense Revisited – American Criminal Law Review ↩︎
7. LANGUAGE MATTERS : TALKING ABOUT SEX WORK – by Stella in collaboration with allies (PDF) ↩︎
8. Trans people deserve better journalism – Culture ↩︎
9. Roots of Anti-Trans Violence Regional Reports — TLC Resource ↩︎
10. Trans People Are a Part of Nature | With Captions and ASL – Youtube (TLC) ↩︎
11. Freedom to Thrive – TLC Resource ↩︎
12. The complexities and nuances of transgender coverage – Columbia Journalism Review ↩︎
13. More a Than Number: Shifting the Media Narrative on Anti-Trans Violence– PDF resource ↩︎
14. How anti-trans hate speech online leads to real-world violence – Market Place ↩︎
15. Transphobic Violence Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum – In These Times ↩︎
16. As anti-trans violence surges, advocates demand policy reform – NBC News ↩︎
17. Ending violence against trans people starts with respecting them in everyday life – Daily Dot ↩︎
18. Lack of trust in law enforcement hinders reporting of LBGTQ crimes – Public Integrity ↩︎
19. Anti-Black Violence Has Long Been the Most Common American Hate Crime — And We Still Don’t Know the Full Extent – Time ↩︎
20. The Anatomy of Transmisogynoir – Bazaar ↩︎
21. We Keep Us Safe: Interrogating Hate Crime Legislation – TLC Resource ↩︎
22. Kimberlé Crenshaw on Intersectionality, More than Two Decades Later – Columbia Law School ↩︎
23. (1982) Audre Lorde, “Learning from the 60s” ↩︎
24. ICE Raids: Know Your Rights as a TGNC Immigrant – TLC Resource ↩︎
25. violence ↩︎
26. Black, Trans Sex Workers Face Police Violence – Georgia Voice ↩︎
27. Defining Ourselves – TLC Resource ↩︎
28. Housing & Homelessness – National Center for Transgender Equality ↩︎
29. How 2022 Became the Year Trans Hate Went Mainstream – Vice ↩︎
30. Anti-Trans Violence and Rhetoric Reached Record Highs Across America in 2021 – Time ↩︎
31. PAYING AN UNFAIR PRICE – (PDF) Resource ↩︎
32. 100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States – Them ↩︎
33. These Black transgender activists are fighting to ‘simply be’ – National Geographic ↩︎
34. Announcing TJFP’s 2022 Grantees! – Trans Justice Funding Project ↩︎
35. 11 grassroots groups that celebrate and support transgender people ↩︎
36. We can’t stop transphobia without fighting for abolition – PRISM ↩︎
37. Radical community care – Trans Lifeline ↩︎
38. Guidelines to Support Transgender and Gender Expansive Students – NYC Public Schools ↩︎
39. How Three Black, Trans-led Organizations Are Transforming Housing for the Transgender Community – House Beautiful ↩︎
40. Trans People Face Rhetoric and Disinformation After Shooting – NBC Philadelphia ↩︎
41. Responding to Transgender Victims of Sexual Assault – OVC ↩︎
42. Black Trans Women and Black Trans Femmes: Leading & Living Fiercely – TLC Resource ↩︎