How Should You Cover Trans and Non-Binary Issues? A Toolkit for British Media

Resources in this section relate specifically to covering trans and non-binary issues in the UK.

  1. Briefing sheet | Gender Recognition Act (All About Trans) 

The UK Government’s proposal to amend the Gender Recognition Act, perceived as controversial by some, gave rise to intolerable levels of anti-trans hatred in British media. Many outlets claimed that advances in trans rights were eroding women’s only spaces and will lead to a spike in misogyny and sexual assault. These transphobic narratives are unsubstantiated, as trans people in the UK are already allowed to access single-gender spaces, and, more importantly often face harassment if . This briefing is design to help media professionals to see past this and other types of anti-trans hatred, fake news and conspiracy theories. 

  1. Guidance on Researching and Reporting Stories Involving Transgender Individuals (IPSO)

In October 2016, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), the UK’s major independent press regulator, released its new guide for stories involving trans individuals. The guidance sets minimum standards, such as acceptable language and using the person’s preferred pronoun. As with all IPSO guidance, only identifiable trans individuals are protected. This means that articles that use dehumanising language, insult or otherwise other trans and non-binary people as a social group are not covered. 

IPSO Transgender Individuals Guidance applies only to British press who have signed up to IPSO. IPSO oversees the majority of British press. Others are covered by IMPRESS. Click here, for IMPRESS Press Standards Code.

For a comprehensive overview of educational resources designed specifically to help media actors to report about trans and non-binary issues, read ‘Resources for the Media’ by All About Trans