Trans Lives & Positive Visibility

Visibility of trans and non-binary people has increased in recent years with more coverage of stories about the community by the news and media. However, all visibility is not necessarily good visibility. While many news, media and online content sources continue to produce excellent coverage that highlight the lived experiences and key issues facing transgender and non-binary people, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s analysis suggests that some media sources may either intentionally, or inadvertently, perpetuate stigmatization of trans and non-binary people in the stories that they cover and they way they cover them. Other sources ignore transgender and non-binary people altogether, perpetrating invisibility, cultural marginalization and erasure that can have ramifications beyond news and media, as reflected in many of the opinions of adults in this analysis. News and media sources such as Fox News, Breitbart, The Daily Wire, Life Site, One America News and Newsmax especially contribute to the cultural marginalization, invisibility and erasure of trans and non-binary people, deepening the stigma the community faces.

Trans and non-binary people exist, and have for centuries across the globe. According to the Pew Research Center, 42% of adults in the United States personally know someone from the trans community – a community of more than two million people in the United States. News and media have a responsibility to feature stories about the community in ways that center transgender and non-binary voices and show the full breadth and diversity of the community through responsible storytelling. In addition to providing evidence of the news and media’s role in perpetuating the cultural marginalization, invisibility and stigmatization of trans and non-binary people, this resource provides clear recommendations for how to get coverage of the trans and non-binary community right.

Trans visibility is a counter to the invisibility of trans and non-binary people that is too often prevalent in the news and media. For decades, when trans people were represented, they were portrayed negatively and as outsiders from mainstream society.

Many communities and institutions across the globe continue to ignore, ostracize and exclude trans and non-binary people, denying the community full participation in society. As a result, living openly as trans or non-binary can be its own act of defiance in a society that continues to set rigid cultural norms for gender identity and expression. Trans and non-binary people face stigma surrounding who they are from an early age. Often rooted in inaccurate beliefs and politically-motivated attacks on trans and non-binary identities, this stigma erects barriers in virtually every facet of life, denying trans and non-binary people the equal opportunity to succeed and be accepted for who they are. Moreover, stigma against trans and non-binary people can have long-term impacts on mental health and economic and housing stability, especially if individuals experience familial rejection and isolation from social support systems.

Some media outlets also spread disinformation about the trans and non-binary community in ways that politicize the identities of the trans and non-binary community in support of particularly harmful ideologies. An analysis by Media Matters showed how right-leaning news and politics Facebook pages earned about twice as many interactions on their (anti-)trans content than ideologically nonaligned and left-leaning pages. Right-leaning pages used their platforms to present misleading and false information about trans athletes and trans-affirming medical care that exacerbate dangerous stigma. Moreover, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or person of color) trans and non-binary people face the brunt of these attacks as disinformation, hate and bias regarding gender identity and race compound. For example, one of the first stories covered repeatedly by many media outlets regarding trans girls’ participation in sports highlighted two teenage girls in Connecticut targeted by opponents of trans inclusion in sports because they could capitalize on both anti-Black and anti-trans sentiments.

In addition, the lack of positive coverage of trans and non-binary lives in the news and media only furthers marginalization, invisibility and stigma. Trans and non-binary artists, athletes, activists, political leaders, other public figures and everyday people rarely have their projects and achievements shared. While the two young athletes in Connecticut were being unfairly covered in the press, there were tens of thousands of other transgender athletes participating successfully in their teams across the country without any coverage at all. Furthermore, when covered by news and media, the identities of trans and non-binary people are often hyper-focused rather than on the achievements or backstories of the community. Media and other outlets may also only cover stories about trans and non-binary people as they fall victim to the epidemic of violence in the United States. Since 2013, HRC and other advocates have tracked more than 250 cases of known fatal violence against trans and gender non-conforming people in 37 states, territories and the District of Columbia, across 150 cities and towns nationwide. While coverage of this epidemic is critical to creating awareness, the coverage more often than not misgenders the victims and fails to include comments from the friends and family who loved them. Based on data since 2013, roughly 8 in 10 (80%) trans and non-binary people violently killed in the United States are misgendered or deadnamed by the news, media, police or criminal justice system. In markets where these stories are covered appropriately, the lack of storytelling about transgender lives outside of death can also have negative impacts -- leading many to feel a sense of hopelessness for themselves if they are trans or non-binary or hopelessness for their loved ones.

HRC Foundation’s analysis of public opinion data shows that many people have limited familiarity with transgender issues, while only a modest percentage of adults report mentions of trans and non-binary people in their news and media in the last week.

More than half (57%) of respondents felt they were familiar with “topics and issues about transgender people,” though less than one fifth (about 19%) felt they were very familiar; a pluarlity (39%) were somewhat familiar. A third (33%) stated they were very or somewhat unfamiliar with topics and issues about the trans and non-binary community, with an additional tenth (nearly 10%) not sure of their familiarity level

Stories about transgender and non-binary people remain infrequent in the news and media that respondents consumed. A majority (52%) said their news and media did not mention trans or non-binary people in the last week. An additional quarter (23%) were not sure if their media sources covered these stories.

Given that the majority of respondents are not being exposed to media stories about transgender people, it is unsuprising that the majority of people view their knowledge of transgender people as limited, and some are even unsure of their level of knowledge.

When people did see depictions of transgender and non-binary people, they weren’t necessarily positive. Three in ten respondents said they did not see the types of positive stories or representations of trans and non-binary people in their usual news and media assessed in this survey. At the same time, an additional third did see these sorts of positive stories.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

Three in ten respondents (31%) did not see stories that show how “transgender people are like me, my friends and my family.” A similar percentage (30%) noted that their news and media sources did not show transgender people “living everyday lives”

Adults in the United States overwhelmingly agree that trans and non-binary people should have equal rights and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. However, a large share mistakenly still believe that trans and non-binary people have equal rights.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Overall, 72% of adults said they strongly (51%) or somewhat (21%) agree that “transgender people should have equal rights and be able to live free of violence and discrimination.” Only about 14% somewhat or strongly disagreed with this statement. In addition, many (41%) falsely believe that “transgender people already have all the same rights and opportunities as me.”

People want and believe trans and non-binary folks to have equal rights, yet many mistakenly think they have them Speaks to the potential advocacy and education role the news and media could play in educating the public of the reality of legal protections for trans people, to correct these misconceptions.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

While defining the term “authentic gender” varies from person to person, most adults say they agree that trans or non-binary people deserve “support and healthcare that helps them to live as their authentic gender.”

Two-thirds (66%) of adults strongly or somewhat agree that “any transgender person deserves support and healthcare that helps them to live as their authentic gender.” A plurality (41%) specifically said they strongly agreed with this statement.

In contrast, rather than believing transgender people are better served by living as their gender identity, 43% said they strongly or somewhat disagreed that “we would better serve transgender people by helping them to live as the sex they were born,” or their sex assigned at birth. A small plurality (28%) strongly disagreed with this statement, while about one-quarter (25%) were unsure of their opinion regarding this statement.

While it is expected that the many respondents who agree that trans and non-binary people deserve support and healthcare to live as their authentic ender, a drop off is observed when looking at those who disagree with the statement “we would better serve transgender people by helping them to live as the sex they were born,” which would not be a trans or non-binary person’s authentic gender. While many respondents say they support trans people living as their authentic gender, they have less clarity about the specifics of what this entails in terms of transition, and potentially, even how sex and gender intersect. In fact, a there is an increase in adults saying they are “unsure” when asked about sex assignment at birth, indicating a need for greater public education and clarity from news and media.

Many adults believe that trans and non-binary people should be able to live freely and openly according to their gender identity. However, their thoughts are somewhat shaped by the way messaging is framed.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Two-third (66%) of adults strongly or somewhat agree that “transgender people should be able to live freely and openly according to their gender identity.

When asked with a negative framing, about 56% of adults said they strongly or somewhat disagreed that “transgender people should not be able to live freely and openly according to their gender identity.

Taken together, respondents were more likely to agree with the positive frame than they were to disagree with a negative frame, suggesting that positively-framed messages around equality may be more compelling in garnering support.

A majority of adults report consuming news and media stories that suggest t trans and non-binary people are seeking equal treatment under the law. However, almost a quarter report the news and media they usually consume suggests hat trans and non-binary people are looking to have more rights than is fair.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

More than half (51%) of respondents say they somewhat (27%) or strongly (24%) agree that their news and media sources suggest that “transgender people seek equal treatment under law.”

A similar, though slightly smaller percent (48.7%) also disagreed that their news and media sources suggest that “transgender people want more rights than is fair.” However, about one-quarter (26%) said they strongly (10.9%) or somewhat (15.3%) agree.

Regardless of the political lean of the media and news they consume, some portion of respondents report the stories they see make them think more negatively about trans and non-binary people. However this is more prevalent among consumers of right-leaning sources such as Fox News, Breitbart, the Daily Wire, Life Site, One America News and Newsmax.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

A majority of adults (58%) who report consuming none of these right-leaning sources on a usual basis strongly agree that “transgender people seek equal treatment under the law.” Among respondents who only consume these right-leaning sources, that percentage falls to 31% of adults.

More than one-third (36%) of adults who only consume right-leaning sources, or who consume a mix of sources (39%) say that the media they consume makes them think that “transgender people want more rights than is fair.” This is almost double the percentage (19.7%) of those who do not consume right wing media.

Taken together, as the amount of right-leaning sources someone uses for their news, the less likely they are to agree with this statement, especially people who only consume right-leaning media. Conversely, at the same time, they are also more likely to be unsure of what they should think after consuming these stories.

Few adults, regardless of the leaning of their usual news and media, disagree with the idea that trans and non-binary people should have equal rights and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. However, adults who consume only or some right-leaning sources are less likely to agree with this idea, and are more likely to say that trans and non-binary people already have the same rights and opportunities as them.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

A majority of people, regardless of the leaning of their usual news and media, strongly or somewhat agree that trans people should have equal rights, though it does decline as right wing consumption increases (81% non-right, 74% among those consuming a mix of sources, and 56% among those consuming only right-leaning sources). In general, people are largely confident in this belief, with the exception of right-wing consumers, a fifth of whom were unsure what to believe.

Over one-third (35%) of adults who usually consume media that does not include right-leaning sources, over half (56.3%) of those consuming a mix of sources and 57% of those consuming only right-leaning sources mistakenly believe trans people have the same opportunities and rights as them.

Overall, the more right-leaning media people consume, the more likely they are to believe the misconception that trans and non-binary people have equal rights and protections when trans and non-binary people do not.

Adults who consume news and media from only right-leaning sources, or a mix that includes some of these right-leaning sources, are less likely to agree that trans and non-binary people deserve healthcare and support to live as their authentic genders, and are more likely to hold harmful views advocating for trans and non-binary people to receive assistance to live as their sex assigned at birth.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

Roughly three-quarters (76%) of adults who do not usually consume right-leaning media, and two thirds (66.9%) strongly or somewhat agree that transgender people “deserve support and healthcare that helps them to live as their authentic gender.” In comparison, less than half (49%) of adults who usually consume only right-leaning sources agree with this statement.

Conversely, a majority (51%) of adults who only consume right-leaning sources say “we would better serve transgender people by helping them to live as the sex they were born,” compared to one-quarter of those who consume no right-leaning sources and 44% of those who consume a mix of sources.

The political lean of the usual news and media consumed by respondents is associated with their beliefs about transgender and non-binary people, as well as the message frames that are compelling.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement about the sources that you usually get your news and media from?

People who do not usually consume right-leaning media were the most likely to hold affirming views towards transgender people, though they were more likely to express pro-transgender views in response to positive framing. Over three-quarters (76.2%) agreed that transgender people should be able to live freely. At the same time, two-thirds (66%) disagreed that transgender people should not be able to live freely; a drop-off of 10 percentage points. Similarly, a fifth (21.2%) agreed transgender people should not be able to live freely, while approximately 14% disagreed with the statement that transgender people should be able to live freely – a drop-off in support of over 7 percentage points.

A similar pattern was observed among respondents who consume a mix of sources. Approximately 70% agreed that transgender people should be able to live freely, disagreed that transgender people should not be able to live freely. This group was also the most likely to agree with the negative frame, with a third (34%) agreeing that transgender people should not be able to live freely.

For those who usually consume right-leaning media, the reverse was seen, with pro-transgender views more likely to emerge when presented with a negative frame. Only 42% agreed with the pro-transgender statement that transgender people should be able to live freely, even as over half (51.2%) disagreed that transgender people should not be able to live freely.

While visibility of trans and non-binary people has increased in recent years with more coverage of their stories by the news and media, not all press is good press. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s analysis suggests that news and media need to be more inclusive of and more accurately cover trans and non-binary people in their news stories and coverage. Right-leaning sources in particular contribute to negative public perceptions about trans and non-binary people. News and media that are not right-leaning can help many in the public to see that although trans and non-binary people may have different life experiences, they still deserve equal rights. Overall, the findings of this research are a call to action for all news, media and content creators to produce positive coverage of trans people that can change lives, hearts and minds.

• Uplift stories of trans people in public life such as at their church, in their community and at their school to show familiarity of trans and non-binary people in familiar spaces. Show them with careers, ambitions, romances with both trans and cis partners of all sexual orientations, with families, hobbies and lives beyond their trans identities.

• Unless immediately relevant, only share the person’s trans or non-binary identity until the end of the story or coverage.

• Feature trans people in their own words. Too often, stories about trans people are presented without any contributions by trans people themselves. Even if a story is well intentioned, lacking trans contribution can sometimes lead to misconceptions about the trans community or otherwise display a lack of personal experience with the subject matter. Speak to and with the trans community, not just about us.

• Showcase the intersectionality of the trans and non-binary community. Show trans and non-binary people with different gender identities, particularly trans men and non-binary people who are often erased from coverage. Show trans people of different races and ethnicities, different nationalities, different ages, different abilities, different socioeconomic statuses and more.

• Show how gender-affirming care by competent providers has enormous positive outcomes for trans and non-binary people, trans youth included. The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and hundreds of child welfare organizations support medically necessary gender-affirming care. Coverage should reflect this rather than attempting to showcase both sides of a “debate” that just harms trans and non-binary people.

• Portray trans athletes of all ages in a positive light and as fair competitors. Dispel myths that trans peoples’ bodies or hormones give them an unfair advantage.

• Cover anti-LGBTQ+ political attacks in responsible ways -- elevating the voices of those who would be impacted and recognizing the groups involved in pushing these attacks that have been designated as hate groups by watchdog organizations.

• Show trans history to push back against the idea that trans people are “new” or “a fad.”

Resources

METHODOLOGY

In order to understand opinions towards the trans community, Civis Analytics interviewed 4,011 American adults from May 21, 2021 through May 31, 2021. All interviews were conducted through web panels and weighted to population demographics for a national U.S. audience. The sample sizes and margins of error are included with each table.

This research also contains analysis of crosstabs by news source consumption to supplement our initial report, with results split out into various buckets of right-leaning media and news consumption.

Respondents were grouped by news source consumption leaning using the following question:

Civis defined right-leaning versus non-right leaning sources as follows:

• No Right-Leaning Sources:
  Respondents who only selected sources not including Fox News, Breitbart/The Daily Wire/Life Site, One America News, Newsmax

• Only Right-Leaning Sources:
  Respondents who only selected at least one of Fox News, Breitbart/The Daily Wire/Life Site, One America News, Newsmax

• A Mix Of Sources:
  Respondents who selected at least one of Fox News, Breitbart/The Daily Wire/Life Site, One America News, Newsmax, as well as at least one non-right-leaning source

• Other Unknown Sources:
  Respondents who only selected None of These (exclusive)