NY Times: ‘We will not tolerate staff joining trans activists to attack columnists’

The New York Times’ Executive Editor has defended the newspaper enabling columnists to write opinion pieces on the reality of biological sex.

In a letter to all staff, Joseph Kahn criticised those who joined pro-LGBT group ‘Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’ in “direct attacks on several of our colleagues, singling them out by name”.

Kahn said the paper’s coverage of transgender issues “is important, deeply reported, and sensitively written. The journalists who produced those stories nonetheless have endured months of attacks, harassment and threats.”

‘Debate’

In response to accusations from staff and trans activists that its editorial approach was damaging to LGBTQ people, The New York Times published ‘In Defense of JK Rowling’ by columnist Pamela Paul.

Paul highlighted that the reason Rowling has faced vitriol is because she defends biological sex and single-sex spaces and supports detransitioners and gender-critical feminists “who have come under attack from trans activists”.

She added: “Those who accuse Rowling of punching down against her critics ignore the fact that she is sticking up for those who have silenced themselves to avoid the job loss, public vilification and threats to physical safety”.

A New York Times spokesman stated: “Our journalism strives to explore, interrogate and reflect the experiences, ideas and debates in society – to help readers understand them. Our reporting did exactly that and we’re proud of it.”

Guardian

Last year, columnist Hadley Freeman resigned from The Guardian after 22 years at the paper because of ‘bias in the progressive media on transgender ideology’.

She told BBC Woman’s Hour: “I have no problem and never had any problem with The Guardian interviewing and spotlighting trans activists”, but added, “I was not allowed and nor was anyone else allowed to interview gender-critical feminists”.

She is the second high-profile female commentator to exit the paper over the issue in recent years, following the resignation of veteran columnist Suzanne Moore in November 2020.