Skip to content

Transgender journalism

Transgender people have worked as journalists since the advent of the field. In the 19th century, American journalists like Jack Bee Garland were reporting news, though many had to do so without being out about being trans due to profound discrimination. In the 21st century, many journalists were finally able to do their jobs while out.

Most large news outlets have searchable archives with transgender topics, and most news browsing services have a way to set up keywords for transgender subjects.

Many historic transgender journalism resources may be of interest for historians and archivists.

The outlets below also have very good trans-focused reporting, often written by trans journalists.

Trans-owned and operated news outlets

Assigned Media (assignedmedia.org)

Erin in the Morning (erininthemorning.com)

What the Trans (whatthetrans.com)

Transvitae (transvitae.com)

Transgender World (trans-express.lgbt)

The Heroines of My Life (theheroines.blogspot.com)

  • Monika Kowalska’s long-running blog features interviews with hundreds of trans people, including my 2013 interview.

The TransAdvocate (transadvocate.com)

  • Good trans coverage with some well-researched long-form reporting.

Planet Transgender (planetrans.org)

  • Good blog coverage of trans news around the world, with original reporting and commentary.
  • previously at planettransgender.com from 2014-2021 [archive]

Trans-supportive LGBT new outlets

The Advocate (advocate.com/transgender)

  • Original reporting on trans people from the longest-running LGBT news org.

them. (them.us)

  • Great queer lifestyle news.

PinkNews (thepinknews.com)

See also groups and journalists listed under transgender audio and social media for commentary on trans news topics.

Organizations

NLGJA (nlgja.org)

  • NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists was founded in 1990.

Trans Journalists Association (transjournalists.org)

  • Founded in 2020.

Black Trans Media (blacktransmedia.org)

  • Founded in 2013.

Journalists

Many excellent trans and gender diverse journalists are publishing work each day. Here are some of the better-known people (alphabetically). See people who are missing? Send them in!

Samantha Allen (samanthaleighallen.com)

Tre’vell Anderson (muckrack.com/trevell-anderson)

Priya Arora (thepriyaarora.com)

Nicky Bandini (theguardian.com/profile/nicky-bandini)

Sydney Bauer 

Tat Bellamy-Walker (tat-bellamy-walker-2)

Jennifer Finney Boylan (jenniferboylan.net)

Kam Burns (linkedin.com/in/kamcburns)

  • Twitter: kamcburns [deleted]

Katelyn Burns (patreon.com/katelynburns)

Kelli Busey (planetrans.org)

Gina Chua (structureofnews.wordpress.com)

Sophie Cook (sophiecook.me.uk)

T Cooper (t-cooper.com)

Dawn Ennis (lifeafterdawn.com)

Alyza Enriquez (alyzaenriquez.cargo.site)

Sam H. Escobar (linkedin.com/in/samescobar)

Ina Fried

Henry Giardina (henrygiardina.com)

Da’Shaun Harrison (linktr.ee/dashaunlh)

Morgan Lev Edward Holleb (morganholleb.com)

Juliet Jacques (julietjacques.com)

Imara Jones (imarajones.com)

Robyn Kanner (robynkanner.com)

Alex Kapitan (radicalcopyeditor.com)

Oliver-Ash Kleine

Jess Kung (jesskung.net)

Eden Lane (eden-lane.com)

Paris Lees

Canela López

Thomas Page McBee (thomaspagemcbee.com)

Janet Mock (janetmock.com)

Jack Monroe (cookingonabootstrap.com)

Katherine O’Donnell

Kae Petrin (linkedin.com/in/petrinkae)

Shannon Power

Erin Reed (erininthemorn.substack.com)

Danica Roem (delegatedanicaroem.com)

Gwendolyn Ann Smith (gwensmith.com)

Danielle Solzman (solzyatthemovies.com)

Kate Sosin (muckrack.com/kate-sosin)

  • Twitter: shoeleatherkate [deleted]

Meredith Talusan (mtalusan.com)

Brynn Tannehill (brynntannehill.com)

Jacob Tobia (jacobtobia.com)

Diana Tourjee (dianatourjee.com)

Zoey Tur

Evan Urquhart (assignedmedia.org)

Ana Valens / Ana Wythe (muckrack.com/ana-valens)

  • Twitter: acvalens
  • Twitter: SpaceDoctorPhD [deleted]

M.A. Voepel / Michael “Mike” Voepel

India Willoughby

Harron Walker (tinyletter.com/qandhi)

Lewis Raven Wallace (lewispants.com)

Lara Witt (linkedin.com/in/lara-witt-4206421b1)

Tuck Woodstock (tuckwoodstock.com)


Historically significant trans journalists

  • Donna Cartwright (born 1947)
  • Leslie Feinberg (1949–2014)
  • Jack Bee Garland (1869–1936)
  • Jan Morris (1926–2020)
  • Monica Roberts (1962 – 2020) transgriot.blogspot.com Twitter: @transgriot
  • Philippa York (born 1958)