NEW YORK, April 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- GLAAD, the
nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media
advocacy organization, today responded to Bruce Jenner's interview on a Diane Sawyer special edition of ABC's
20/20.
"Today, millions of people learned that someone they know is
transgender," said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. "By sharing this story,
Bruce Jenner has shined a light on
what it means to be transgender and live authentically in the face
of unimaginable public scrutiny. Though Jenner's journey is one
that is deeply personal, it is also one that will impact and
inspire countless people around the world."
"Every transgender person's journey is unique, and by choosing
to share this story, Bruce Jenner
adds another layer to America's understanding of what it means to
be transgender," said Nick Adams,
GLAAD's Director of Programs, Transgender Media. "We hope that
after hearing Jenner's story, people will want to learn more about
the issues and challenges facing their transgender friends,
co-workers, and family members. Stories like these will help create
a world in which everyone can express their gender identity without
fear of discrimination and violence."
GLAAD also published the following tip sheet for journalists
covering Jenner and transgender issues:
TIP SHEET:
TRANSGENDER TERMINOLOGY
AND TIPS
FOR COVERING BRUCE JENNER'S ABC
INTERVIEW
Please consider the following guidelines when covering
Bruce Jenner's disclosure that he is
transgender. This style guide will help you create respectful and
accurate stories while avoiding common mistakes and cliches.
DO use the name and pronoun a transgender person prefers. Some
transgender people prefer that a new name and/or pronoun be used
immediately upon their disclosure that they are transgender.
However, other transgender people do not. At this time,
Bruce Jenner has not indicated that
a new name or pronoun should be used, so please respect his wishes
and refer to Bruce Jenner by his
current name and with male pronouns until such time as he requests
something different.
DO consider including a sentence in your story that explains
that you will be referring to Bruce
Jenner with his birth name and male pronouns because he has
not indicated that he prefers a new name or pronoun be used. This
will alert your audience that you are aware of the issue, and have
chosen to follow Jenner's wishes. If Jenner chooses to adopt a new
name and/or pronoun in the future, GLAAD will publish an updated
Tip Sheet with best practices based on that information.
DO describe people who transition as transgender, and use
transgender as an adjective. For example, "Bruce Jenner is a transgender woman." AVOID
statements like "Bruce Jenner is
a transgender." Do NOT use "transgendered" -
transgender never needs an extraneous "-ed" at the end. Do NOT use
"transsexual" or "transvestite."
DO refer to Bruce Jenner's female
identity as his gender identity, not his sexual orientation. Gender
identity is one's own internal, deeply held sense of being male or
female. Sexual orientation is whom one is attracted to. Gender
identity and sexual orientation are separate characteristics and
should not be confused or conflated.
DON'T speculate about medical procedures transgender people may
or may not choose to undertake as part of their transition. This
information is a private matter and is not pertinent to stories
about Jenner's life. Overemphasizing the medical aspects of
someone's transition is reductive and insulting to transgender
people.
AVOID the phrase "born a man" when referring to Jenner. If it is
necessary to describe for your audience what transgender means,
consider: "While Bruce Jenner was
assigned male at birth, he identifies as a woman."
For a more extensive Reference Guide on covering transgender
issues, please visit glaad.org/reference/transgender. For
additional resources visit glaad.org/transgender.
About GLAAD: GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT
acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to
shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural
change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a
world where everyone can live the life they love. For more
information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with
GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
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SOURCE GLAAD