The New York Times helped fuel an anti-trans panic in 2022. Will 2023 be any better?
“Critics accused the Times of offering ;reactionary backlash as legitimate debate.’ Researcher Heron Greenesmith noted that ‘multiple orgs and people quoted in this article don’t just want to “be better” about trans-affirming care for kids. They want to END it.’ The state of Texas referenced the article as evidence in its quest to remove trans children from the care of their gender-affirming parents, writing that the idea ‘that there exists enormous controversy and disagreement among experts is itself the coverage of major media coverage including the New York Times’ “The Battle Over Gender Therapy: More teenagers than ever are seeking transitions, but the medical community that treats them is deeply divided about why–and what to do help them.”’ For Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the questions raised by the Times were enough to merit a policy of child separation. The stakes of this beat could not be higher.”