IMPRESS warns news publishers against hate speech towards LGBTQ+ groups

Credit: Photo by Isi Parente on Unsplash

UK independent press regulator IMPRESS has encouraged the public to complain to them about homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the press (abuse and prejudice against homosexuals, bisexuals and transexuals).

At the start of 2023, it warned news publishers not to incite 'abuse or hatred' towards people's identities in news reporting, in updated guidelines on discrimination. It also recommended the press not to refer to characteristics - like people's sexuality and sexual identity - unless it is absolutely relevant to the news story.

New public guidance comes as Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, a biological woman, was repeatedly referred to as ‘biologically male’ in a Daily Mail article, quoting critical remarks by high profile names like JK Rowling and Liz Truss, without clearly clarifying she is not, in fact, transgender.

Buried in the final third of this 3,000-word article is the suggestion that Khelif might have a "difference in sex development" (DSD) condition that would explain her differences in XY chromosones and increased levels of testosterone.

IMPRESS told Journalism.co.uk that this article opened up the comment section - which attracted 7.2k comments - to a strong likelihood of transphobia. It stressed that this article would not necessarily be a breach of the code, as it would need a proper regulatory process.

Comment section on The Daily Mail article about Imane Khelif

IMPRESS also flagged up a BBC interview that implied a source was gay in its line of questioning (which the broadcaster later apologised for) and various media organisations pedalling the myth that school kids are identifying as cats.

The Daily Mail is regulated by the other UK press regulator, IPSO, which has similar guidelines (clause 12 of its Editors’ Code of Practice on discrimination).

But this does not yet extend to mitigating against hatred or abuse, like IMPRESS' clause four of its Standards Code on discrimination, which its 222 member publications adhere to and public complaints are tested against. No members have since been found in breach of this updated code. Clause four in full states:

• 4.1 Publishers must not make prejudicial or derogatory reference to anybody based on the following characteristics: Age, disability, health, gender identity or reassignment, marital of civil partnership status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that puts a person at risk of discrimination.

• 4.2 Publishers must not refer to a person’s disability, health, gender reassignment or identity, pregnancy, race, religion or sexual orientation unless this characteristic is relevant to the story.

• 4.3 Publishers must not encourage hatred or abuse against any group based on their characteristics.

IMPRESS CEO Lexie Kirkconnel-Kawana urged news organisations to be vigilant against misinformation, discrimination and hate speech arising out of social media.

The public does not always realise the power it has to challenge the press, she continued. She is trying to raise awarness of media standards, as well as pushing for more diversity in the newsroom, which could improve editorial choices and standards.

Jamie Wareham, the founder and director of QueerAF, the UK’s only non-profit and regulated LGBTQ+, publisher welcomed new guidance from IMPRESS, but agreed the root issue is the lack of diversity in the news industry.

The latest NCTJ Diversity in Journalism report indicates that 11 per cent of journalists identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or “other”, more than the national workforce average.

Wareham says: "Media change can feel insurmountable, but it's not. With better diverse newsrooms that invest in LGBTQ+ talent and stronger press regulation in the UK - alongside more conscious choices from advertisers - these three pillars can shift the structural and foundational issues in the media."

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