Fears for free speech after journalists’ union refuses to defend gender-critical members

[IwantToRetire]

Britain’s leading journalist union has rejected calls to defend members who cover trans issues and gender-critical beliefs, prompting fears for the freedom of the press.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) was called upon at a meeting to issue a statement supporting members who covered “the debate on sex and gender”, and condemning abuse they might receive for discussing “gender critical viewpoints”.

Union members rejected calls to publicly defend those covering the trans debate, as some branded it “transphobic”, according to insiders.

This has raised concerns among insiders that freedom of the press is only afforded to one side in the gender debate, and some have suggested that it may undermine the union’s own code of conduct ledge to “uphold and defend the principle of media freedom”.

Some have suggested that the union is another institution “hijacked” by censors.

The motion rejected by members stated that the union’s leadership should state that it “believes that journalists should be able to report and comment on issues of sex and gender, and any debate on these subjects should be informed and respectful”.

It adds that the union should “issue a statement affirming that it is entirely appropriate for journalists, in the course of their work, to discuss all sides of the debate on sex and gender identity including trans rights and gender critical viewpoints”.

The motion, drafted in the context of online abuse and “cancel culture” facing dissenting voices, adds that “journalists should not suffer professionally for doing so if they have acted responsibly and according to the Code of Conduct”.

The motion calling on the NUJ’s National Executive Council to issue this public statement on the legitimacy of reporting and commenting on gender issues was rejected by 62 votes to 48 at the meeting of delegates from across the country, The Telegraph understands.

This is part of a longer article from the Telegraph reprinted by yahoo Fears for free speech after journalists’ union refuses to defend gender-critical members (yahoo.com)

Boomboom22 do you mean this?

When referring to gender identity, use unambiguous terms. That is, a person who is born male and transitions to become female is a “transgender woman”, whereas a person who is born female and transitions to become male is a “transgender man”.

I am old enough to remember when the language was clearer and more intuitive, ie. a "male transsexual" = male minus the dangly bits (although probably plus glamorous earrings).

Now there has been some abbreviation going on as well as renaming.

Roughly speaking:

TW = shortened form of "transgender woman" = male + boobs
TM = shortened form of "transgender man" = female - boobs