A new report, conducted by Mediatique and commissioned by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), has found coverage of trans related topics in UK media outlets has increased by 400% during the last five years. The research analysed over 12,000 articles to examine the topics they covered and the terminology used, as well as conducting 43 interviews with newspaper and magazine editors, publishers and journalists from a wide range of backgrounds. It found on average, 224 stories relating to trans issues were published per month within the last year, compared to only 34 per month in 2014.
While the study found the terminology used in relation to the trans community had become more ‘respectful’, the discussions around trans rights have become more ‘heated’ as much of it focused on potential reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. One journalist said in their interview: “The amount of content we use that relates to transgender issues of people has definitely increased, no question. It’s difficult to say if this is a conscious decision or because people are talking about it more. There are also more [media] agencies selling stories on it. And since the GRA consultation it has become more of a topic.”
Mediatique said the aim of the research was to “improve understanding of ways to contribute to improving editorial standards.” Charlotte Dewar, chief executive of IPSO, added: “Some of the most contentious and sensitive issues handled by IPSO relate to the reporting of transgender matters. Coverage generates broad, sometimes heated debate, and raises complex questions around balancing reporting freely on important societal issues with the potential impact on vulnerable individuals”
They continued: “As the independent regulator of most newspapers and magazines in the UK, IPSO is particularly interested in the research’s findings on drivers of change for improving editorial standards. It shows that changes in societal attitudes and notable news events can have a real impact, but it also demonstrates the value of engagement that many groups and organisations have undertaken with the press. We are glad to play a role in helping to shed light on questions of why and in what ways reporting has changed in this area, and we will feed the conclusions into our own work.”
However the research did not examine the impacts of media coverage on the trans community, despite a November 2020 study finding that negative media depictions of trans and gender diverse people adversely impacted the mental health of the transgender community.
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