The Versatile Copywriter

 

If we look at gender objectively, we learn quickly how fluid and non-binary the experience of being gendered is. In many species, the white-throated sparrow, for instance,  4 genders exist. Or the anemonefish, AKA Finding Nemo, which switch sexes.

So, why, despite the fact that gender fluidity exists abundantly in nature, do some humans call this unnatural and demonize it in the human species? Why are our children the bull’s eye of this target? Why are girls’ sports the breeding ground for this predatory behavior?

And what about the media? Do they get some of the blame for the spread of blatant lies and creation of biased fear? What is their role and how much responsibility can they take in the dehumanization of our nation’s children?

 

Per this 2022 UCLA School of Law press release, the number of trans youth aged 13-17 in the U.S. is an estimated 300,000 total compared to the 17.3 million overall number of high school students. Of that, trans girls in sports are a whopping 5 for all ages. Yes, that’s right. The time, resources, and fear dedicated to erasing transgendered citizens are because of 5 whole girls playing in youth sports.  A number so inconsequential that you have no choice but to wonder why the media is dedicated to covering this day in and day out as if these 5 children are going to somehow ruin the country and turn us all into deviants.

As this article, How Journalists Can Responsibly Report on Transgender Athletes, points out, “the ACLU reports that nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures this year. So far, 22 states have passed laws that prevent transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity — even though in many of these states, trans kids wanting to play school sports are in the single digits.”

The evidence pointing to transgender people posing no threat is a stark contrast to the baseless conservative rhetoric of “transgender lunacy” as Donald Trump casually puts it.

 

With all the coverage and political tactics to discredit the humanity and autonomy of trans youth, much of the information, fear, policies, and bans negatively affect cis-gender individuals as well. Cis-gender girls are faced with the humiliating and traumatic experiences of having to prove their gender, as was the case for a 16-year-old high school student who was falsely accused of being transgender by a member of the school board, Nancy Cline.

There are also legislative actions with dire consequences. In Kansas in 2023, legislation passed barring all transgender girls and women from playing athletics and, shockingly, allowing genital examination of children. Not only is that invasive and inappropriate, but it has a direct correlation with sexual predation. And it doesn’t take any critical thinking skills to realize cis-gender girls are targets of these asinine policies, pathetically disguised as the “protection” of girls and women. So, the very policies they enact, the propaganda heralded by right-wing media, are in fact dehumanizing and harming girls.

Women and girls in sports already face many challenges and roadblocks. They don’t need more obstacles placed in their way because of the false narrative of transgender girls and women having an advantage while also being deviant predators. Let’s be clear—the facts explicitly state the real predators are cis-gender straight males, not the 6-year-old “boy” who wants to play girls’ volleyball. But the fearmongering and media coverage of blatant lies has created hysteria among those who fear what they don’t understand. Therefore, girls and women, no matter what their assigned gender at birth, suffer the consequences.

This entire debacle is rooted in the God-fearing, close-minded ignorance of men in power, perpetuated by the media’s need to sensationalize and get the story no matter the cost. And, unfortunately, that cost is human lives, human autonomy, and human happiness. The media has done nothing to stop the lies or reduce the hate. For those calling the shots, this is juicy gossip that sells. Humanity is so lost that it doesn’t even dawn on these people how their sisters, wives, mothers, and daughters suffer because they lack integrity and courage. In a Fox News article, John Kennedy made false claims that biological males in women’s sports “has cost them victories, scholarships and even their health.” This information was not challenged by the journalist who wrote the article, nor did it likely occur to her that those who were cost victories, scholarships, and their health were the transgender athletes she helped villainize.  

The existence of transgender athletes has always been there and has done little to hinder the success of cis-gender athletes. Those are the facts. So, why are the scare tactics, stereotypes, and fear the driving force behind media coverage of this human rights issue? After all, these are just children trying to exist as their authentic selves. When will humanity prevail and we let kids play ball?