It makes sense to want to be in the know. But what if being informed of every little thing happening in this big, wide world is actually hurting you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are several valid ways to approach covering trans issues in the U.S. in 2025 as a trans journalist. There\u2019s the \u201ccover everything as quickly as possible\u201d approach, firehosing your readers with every last bit of potential political news. Or the \u201ccover one specific story with maximum depth\u201d approach that is often slower but more impactful for readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think both of these approaches are equally valid as journalistic strategies, but neither are really for me. First and foremost, I\u2019m primarily an opinion writer these days\u2014I rarely break fresh news, but I can help news readers understand the deeper dynamics at play and connect the dots on certain stories that emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in an age when trans people are generally extremely on edge over political attacks, it\u2019s up to me as a journalist to take into account our readers\u2019 mental health when picking and choosing stories to highlight. At the same time, queer readers should be aware of their own mindset when consuming the news. Do you really need to immediately know about that bill in that state across the country that has little chance of passing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might feel like you\u2019re being aware of the news and being in the loop on the latest in trans rights, but what if being informed of every little thing happening in this big, wide world is actually hurting you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I realize this might be an odd thing for a journalist to say, but seriously think about it. There\u2019s a point in which hearing about so many things happening far away ends up chipping away at your own sense of safety and sanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
@xtramagazine<\/a> The United States Supreme Court has been formally asked to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide. It\u2019s a scary headline, but it\u2019s also one that comes with a lot of conditions. There\u2019s plenty of fear-mongering and misinformation surrounding this\u2014and while there are valid concerns given the current state of U.S. politics\u2014don\u2019t freak out just yet. The case was brought by Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who spent six days in jail in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage certificates to gay couples on religious grounds. In the petition filed to the Supreme Court, Davis\u2019s attorney Mathew Staver argued that Justice Anthony Kennedy\u2019s majority opinion in Obergefell was \u201clegal fiction\u201d at odds with the U.S. Constitution. But just because the case has been filed doesn\u2019t mean that it will be taken up by the court. Lower courts have previously dismissed Davis\u2019s claims. And a federal appeals court panel has said that Davis can\u2019t use the First Amendment as a defence since she is being held liable for state action\u2014which isn\u2019t protected by that. If Obergefell does get overturned down the line, it would likely result in the legal status of gay marriage being decided on a state-by-state basis, similar to what we saw with Roe v. Wade. But there still would be some federal protections even in that event, like the Respect for Marriage Act. The Supreme Court will consider the petition at the end of September, so we won\u2019t know if the court will decide to officially hear it until October. We break down what we know about what might happen with Obergefell, and the number of hurdles in the way before it does. 👨⚖️🏳️🌈 #lgbtqnews<\/a> #unitedstates<\/a> #marriageequality<\/a> #obergefellvhodges<\/a> #gayrights<\/a> \u266c original sound – Xtra Magazine<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>