CHAPTER 13

DEALING WITH
THE MEDIA

TRANS REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA

It would be an understatement to say that the media is obsessed with trans people. Ever since trans people started going public, the media has been all over us. The first examples go all the way back to the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that more and more trans people began speaking out and the media really started making a fuss.

Trans people are often represented in a negative light, and our issues are trivialised. In films and TV shows we have often been depicted as mentally ill, murderers, villains, a plot twist, the butt of a joke and objects of disgust. We most often only see trans women depicted on screen and they are usually played by cis men. Our realities are therefore often trivialised and the focus ultimately is our bodies. They are seen as wrong, objects to be fixed and certainly not to be desired. A popular depiction of trans people in documentaries is trans people on operating tables and going through hormonal treatment and genital surgery. It all centres around this one area and also partly about how friends, family and those around us react to us being trans. Programmes often fail to touch upon the struggles that we go through when it comes to employment, housing, education or access to services. They rarely touch on oppression, discrimination and violence.

Being trans and constantly seeing these portrayals can therefore be deeply frustrating and troubling. If we constantly see ourselves represented in a negative light, we start to internalise some of these things. Thankfully, it isn’t all bad out there. We are seeing more and more trans characters in film and popular TV shows that are about more than just being trans or a plot device. We’re seeing more powerful trans people speak out in the media and raising awareness of the issues that we face. Non binary trans people are also finally getting to be a part of the conversation, but there is still a long way to go for trans people to be recognised and accepted for who they are.

Many news outlets will deliberately post misleading articles about trans people that put down our gender identity and showcase trans people as harmful to society. This can most often be seen in articles where trans women are said to be men wanting to invade and take over women’s spaces and movements, and articles about trans people recruiting children and forcing gender non-conforming children to have hormones and surgeries. These opinions are usually more loud during times of progress for trans rights, and with the current state of the world we’ve seen many setbacks. But we’re also making amazing progress and it’s vital we stay positive.

It’s important to remember to not let these depictions shape your opinion of your worth. Trans people are worth so much more than that and we aren’t disgusting villains or the butt of every joke. We’re a wonderful community of people who deserve love and respect. Don’t let the media get you down.

SPEAKING OUT IN THE MEDIA AND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS ENTAILS

There comes a point in most trans people’s lives where they get approached by the media. This is especially likely if you are active on social media and are open about being trans. While it might seem like an amazing opportunity to get a chance to speak out in the media, it can also be tricky and even downright dangerous. Journalists and the media often take advantage of vulnerable trans people and trans people who have not had any media training, so we really encourage you to get some training and advice from organisations or seasoned trans people before you accept. Even though it might seem like a really good idea, it is very important to get the right training and be prepared, otherwise you might end up being exploited and even causing damage to your own wellbeing. Despite the fact you might perhaps not see yourself as a representative of the trans community, the media and the general public will not necessarily see it that way. Even though you can only ever really speak for yourself, it’s a huge responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

BEING APPROACHED AND WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND

It’s important to be sure to get all the details about what it involves and what the spin of the specific piece or interview is. Journalists can have different approaches and intentions, and it’s important to remember that you have every right to know what their spin and approach on certain issues is. It’s good to have a small checklist of things go through when being approached, such as the following:

- Name and contact details of the journalist (phone number, email).

- What type of item is it? News? Comment? Analysis? Interview?

- Who do they work for and where will this piece appear? Is it for print, radio, TV or online platform(s)?

- If you’re being approached via phone, ask the journalist to email you all the information that you need.

Some good questions to ask journalists are:

- Why are they talking to you? (Comment? Long interview? Personal experience? Expertise?)

- What is the purpose of the piece?

- When is their deadline?

- What is the context? Why are they approaching you now?

- Are they interviewing anyone else? If they are, find out who – google them, look at their Twitter page. Do your research.

- Who is the audience?

- Who is the journalist? Research them, look at their previous work. What is their reputation? How do they speak to their guests/interviewees?

- When will your contribution be used?

- How long will they interview you for?

- What questions will they ask? Tell them if there’s anything you don’t want to talk about (such as medical history or personal issues).

- How long will your contribution be when used?

- Do they pay contributors?

If you need some time to prepare yourself when on the phone or to take a breath, get a pen and paper and gather your thoughts, don’t be afraid to ask if they can call you back in 5–10 minutes. If you’re uncomfortable answering questions over the phone, ask them if it’s okay for them to email the questions to you and you’ll get back to them ASAP.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be sure that what you are contributing to won’t be used against you in a negative way. Always ask to see pieces before they go out and if you’re doing a full-blown interview, be sure to set boundaries before the interview. Make sure you make it absolutely clear what it is you don’t want to be asked about and what headlines you don’t want to be made.

Especially if it’s a TV or a radio interview, be sure to ask who else is being invited. Often they will invite people from ‘the other side’, which usually means people who don’t recognise and accept trans people as who they are. This is extremely problematic and usually doesn’t actually lead to positive representation or interactions at all. It’s not an even playing field to be pitted against someone who doesn’t believe you should be respected for your identity and has actively advocated against your rights and existence. Basically, being trans isn’t up for debate. You don’t deserve to be put into that situation and we certainly don’t recommend anybody does that. It takes years of experience to be able to deal with situations like that, so if you don’t have the experience, it could potentially end really badly.

It’s okay to delegate or say no. That’s your right and it’s something we should all exercise more. If we said yes to every single thing there was, we’d end up exhausted and burnt out. And that’s unfortunately what happens to a lot of trans people. It’s important to gauge the point of the interview and think about whether someone else would perhaps be better suited to it. If it’s a discussion about trans people in the armed forces, then surely a trans person in the armed forces would be more appropriate. If it’s a discussion about trans people of colour, then getting a trans person of colour is a no-brainer. Don’t be afraid to delegate!

Sophie Labelle, Assigned Male Comics

GETTING PAID

GET PAID. It’s so important that we lay down the line and ask for payment. It’s not only unfair to expect us to give our time and expertise for free, it’s also very draining and it doesn’t pay the bills. You need to be firm on getting paid for your time and quotes. Often you won’t be offered this, so asking is really important. Don’t be afraid to ask to get a fee for your time, especially if you’re doing this kind of work regularly.

Journalists won’t be offended at all if you ask them for payment. Below are a few things to keep in mind before committing to an interview:

- How much are they paying for this?

- If you’d prefer not to ask outright, you could say, ‘Is there a budget for this?’ or ‘Will you be able to make a contribution for my time?’

- Have a fee or a daily rate in mind when asking if there’s payment. Don’t be afraid to price it up – there is a reason why they are approaching you, and your expertise is worth the money.

- If you need to travel for it, it’s essential to ask if travel expenses are covered (they should be).

- Will they arrange a taxi to take you to and from the interview?

- Does this media engagement meet your goals? Is it in line with your ethos and what you stand for?

- Do you have the resources to do it? Is it worth it? Be mindful of your capacity and don’t burn out!

SELF-CARE

As mentioned before, it’s okay to say NO. You don’t have to do every single interview there is, and you certainly have to make sure you are not exhausting yourself if you end up doing this on a regular basis. Below are a few things to keep in mind in order for you not to burn out:

- Why am I choosing to do this interview – is it because I want to or feel obliged to?

- Is now a good time for me to be doing an interview – do I feel well in myself?

- Am I okay with this topic area? Is there maybe someone with more expertise in this area?

- How’s my support network at the moment?

- Who will I call if I need to at any point?

- What will I do immediately after the interview?

- How am I going to feel an hour/a day/a week after the interview?

- Who do I have to take with me to the interview?

These are all important things to keep in mind before accepting to do any interview, especially bigger ones. It’s so important to have support and someone you can call afterwards. Having a few people on standby or having arranged that you can call them afterwards is a lifesaver. It’s often very nerve-wracking to do interviews, especially live ones, and being able to come back down to earth while speaking with an ally on the phone or in person is an essential part of winding down.

PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW

So you’ve said yes to a big media interview? Alright, hope you’re ready for it! Preparing for an interview is an important process. Have a think about what you’re going to say and what the key messages are that you want to get across. Research the topic further if you need to and do some further research on other people who are going to be there as well. Have a think about what their viewpoints will be and if you need to counter them (think of clever soundbites or easy ways to do that). Don’t make things too complicated, and be clear and concise in what you’re saying.

- Remember, you are in control of the interview. They have called you with the request.

- Get all agreements in writing.

- Make sure you’ve clearly told them your pronoun.

- Dress comfortably – avoid fussy patterns if it’s for TV and jangly jewellery if it’s TV or radio.

- Turn your mobile off – not just silent mode.

- Check the journalist out beforehand – on Twitter, their previous articles, etc.

- Focus on three main things you want the audience to remember, understand or do. These are your ‘key points’.

- Tell stories and give examples – do your prep ahead of the interview.

- Avoid complicated statistics.

- Remember that it’s a conversation with one person, not a performance (the audience is just eavesdropping).

- It’s okay to stop talking. Don’t feel you have to keep going if you’ve made your point.

- It’s okay to say no or to pull out of an interview at any point. That’s your right and it can be quite empowering to say no, especially if the premise suddenly changes or they invite a person along whom you do not want to share a platform with.

- End the interview on a positive note and email them to say thanks. This will go a long way in improving and maintaining a positive relationship with the journalist.

Just remember that you are never obliged to do anything. The world doesn’t end just because you didn’t do this one interview, and your career certainly isn’t over because you didn’t take this opportunity. It’s so important that you take care of yourself and are ready and in a good place when doing interviews. Otherwise it might end up doing you more harm than good. If it’s a really huge thing, don’t be afraid to turn off social media afterwards. It can be such a good idea to just tune out for a few days afterwards while you’re winding down from an interview.

Sophie Labelle, Assigned Male Comics

BEING APPROACHED BY PRODUCTION COMPANIES

We’ve all seen a documentary about trans people. Production companies certainly aren’t any less obsessed with trans people now than they were ten years ago. This is great in many ways but it can also be deeply problematic. Often the content made by production companies has a very basic focus that ends up enforcing tired tropes about trans people, such as showing them getting surgeries or dressing up. It often falls into extreme gender stereotyping and doesn’t actually touch upon serious issues. Despite the best of intentions, the content often ends up enforcing stereotypes and misconceptions.

This is because production companies often don’t involve trans people in their production process. They don’t actually listen to the voices of trans people and often create ideas from their own perspective. While that is all well and good, they have to realise that this will always create a skewed view of our reality as they do not have the experience or insight that trans people have. We refer to this as the ‘cis-filter’. These production companies often approach trans people at the start of their transition or journey and can end up exploiting vulnerable trans people. It’s important to be very critical of production companies that approach you and to not get involved in things that won’t represent you or the trans community in a positive way. Nothing sounds more exciting than being in a documentary, but it isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds. Many trans people regret getting involved with documentaries because they end up being exploited and not being allowed to tell their stories and talk about their identities authentically, and also because the language and presentation turn out to be problematic. There’s nothing worse than taking part in something you think will be great for trans awareness, only to be shunned by the trans community.

We encourage you not to get involved with things unless you have consulted trans organisations or trans people around you, and made arrangements to get the support and advice you need. Make sure the production company has good intentions and has received good consultation from trans organisations or trans people. We advise you to consider the proposal very carefully and weigh up the pros and cons. Is this actually moving the conversation forward, or is it yet another documentary that will just miss the mark? Is it entirely cis-led? Is it touching on actual issues that are important to raise or is it yet another documentary about our bodies being put on display?

Most importantly, GET PAID. If you get involved in a documentary, you are entitled to payment for loss of income. It’s extremely important to be adamant about this and not get used by production companies. Alternatively, seek out trans people making content. We can almost guarantee that the product will be more authentic, realistic and non-voyeuristic.

RESOURCES

We specifically encourage you to get in contact with organisations or groups that advocate for trans rights before agreeing to do interviews or get involved in any sort of production. It’s very important that we present trans issues in the right way and don’t exclude or speak out against the progress and advocacy being made. We need to be respectful of all trans people, and often these organisations have very good tips and pointers on how to present our issues in a positive manner and not get derailed by unimportant issues.

There are many such organisations, and in the UK we specifically want you to know about All About Trans (www.allabouttrans.org.uk; see Chapter 2 for further information), but they work on positive representation of trans people in the media and have wonderful staff that are there to support you and give you advice. They have a lot of resources on how to deal with the media and even hold media trainings for trans people in the UK.