An exhaustive analysis of over 3,242 articles by the New York Times covering transgender issues from 2014-2026 revealed a stark shift towards hostile framing in 2022.
In January 2015, the New York Times’ only trans opinion columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan wrote an op-ed titled “How to Save Your Life”. The piece was written in the aftermath of the suicide of Leelah Alcorn. The piece was a powerful reminder of the difficulties that transgender people face in society and that transgender young people are among the most vulnerable. The piece ended with a quote from Alcorn’s suicide note stating: “Fix society. Please.”
This was a poignant article and an incredibly important piece of writing that allowed an openly trans opinion columnist at the most prestigious newspaper in the United States to share the last words of a transgender youth with the world as she pleaded for people to make society better. What was remarkable about this is that there was no issue at the time with a transgender opinion columnist doing so. By early 2022, this would no longer be the case.
In early 2022, the New York Times declined to renew Boylan’s contributing writer contract and thus left the paper of record. This left the Times without a highly visible trans voice. This was just one of the major changes that shifted how the New York Times would cover transgender issues starting in 2022 and would result in the reputation of the New York Times being tarnished with the transgender community.