There are several kinds of journalistic bias.  

Selective bias: where outlets simply ignore the stories they don't like because they cast a negative light over their favourite causes. (See also search bias whereby stories are 'selected out' of attention, buried or hidden by lack of tags or inappropriate tags)

Overt expressions of opinion: buried in apparently factual text 

Framing: prioritising the perspective of a particular group

Deliberate inaccuracy: inexcusable - we are journalists, not wishful thinkers.   In order to be impartial, we must first be truthful. 

Adopting activist language: too easily done - we are surrounded by it, it comes to us 'ready-made' in comms and briefs, and we have to reject it or challenge it, which is often hard 

This style guide deals with accuracy and the adoption of activist language

For journalists, the topic of sex and gender is unique.   On no other issue can we say with absolute confidence that the facts land indisputably on one side of the debate.  But on no other issue, where the facts are indisputable, does the entire body of legacy media take the side of untruth.  Accuracy is unpopular, and ironically its proponents are accused of bias. 

Here are the neutral facts which lead journalists to be accused of bias. 

• Sex is binary, immutable and based on reproductive role
• No one has ever, or is able to, change sex
• It is impossible to have an opposite sex brain
• Surgery and the ingestion of opposite sex hormones do not change a person's sex
• Being male or female is not determined by the brain
• There is no evidence that 'gender identity' is real or universal

There is no middle ground: it is not the case that people might be able to change sex, and we just don't know. We do know, and they can't. 

In other words, men are not women, and women are not men. 

Any language which suggests otherwise is activist language, and we advise against. 

This is a good basic rule: do not adopt activist words and phrases as your own. You don't have to ban these terms, but they must always be attributed or framed as a claim - for example by being placed inside inverted commas.

Our tips

Here's our list of activist language which outlets must not adopt as their own. Avoid without attribution. 

Cis and cisgender                                                               

implies subject has a 'gendered' brain which determines their sex

Gender identity                                                                 

implies everyone has a 'gendered' brain

The use of opposite sex pronouns                                    

untruths

Transgender children                                                         

implies children can be born in the wrong sex body 

Born in the wrong body                                                     

an impossibility

Assigned male/female at birth                                          

implies sex is not determined at conception 

Born or biological male/female                                         

implies a person's sex has changed

Non-binary                                                                         

implies a person can be both sexes or no sex

Trans woman for a man, and trans man for a woman    

corruptions of linguistic convention as well as untruths

Female for a male, and male for a female.                      

untruths

Lived as a woman/man                                                     i

impossible for a person of the opposite sex 

'Trans' as a substitute for 'male'                                      

always misleading, may be defamatory. If you mean male, say male.  Don't expect the reader to second guess.

Intersex                                                                              

outdated and scientifically misleading. No one is 'in between' sexes

Sex change                                                                         

untruth - never say this

Conversion therapy                                                           

extremely activist phrase when used in a 'gender identity' context. So do not use unless qualified by 'so-called' or 'what gender identity activists call'

Gender-affirming care                   

misleading. Generally used to mean drug and surgery protocols for a psychological condition called 'gender dysphoria'.  

All of these phrases express untruths, either outright or by implication.  The offence they cause is real but secondary to their inaccuracy. 

Dubious words to try to avoid unless you can explain them 

Gender                                                       

Do you mean sex, or a form of self-identification? Be clear. 

Identify/identifies as                                                 

Identifies as means 'says he is' or 'says she is'. Use these instead (exceptions to this.below)

Note: 'trans' itself is an activist word.  Trans or transgender is usually defined with reference to 'gender identity'. We know that gender identity is unsubstantiated, so we can't do that.  However transgender status is real.  It is protected under the law in most countries.   It is also almost always relevant, so it shouldn't be disappeared just because it's difficult to describe in neutral terms.   Use 'trans-identified' or 'trans-identifying' instead.  As a adjective, it's acceptable and understandable. 

Suggested alternatives for activist terms

Gender                                                       

sex, or trans identity depending on the meaning

Gender identity                                        

trans status 

Trans woman                                            

trans-identified male/man who says he is female

Trans man                                                 

trans-identified female/woman who says she is male

Transgender children                              

children who are said to be trans ( 'gender incongruent', gender variant' and 'gender distressed' are jargon phrases. Use 'children who are said to be distressed about what sex they are'.  It's long, but this is serious journalism about a very serious subject.  It deserves the space. We can't be glib. 

Opposite sex pronouns                           

if you are not allowed to use accurate pronouns (you should be) then use neutral terms or tenses that allow neutrality. 'The defendant, the 24-year-old, the doctor'. Instead of 'police arrested her after she was searched'  - 'Tubbins was arrested after being searched'.  

Watching your sentence construction will come naturally with practice. 

Was born male/female                          

is male/female

Was assigned male/female at birth        

is male/female (except for caveat below) 

Biological male/female                           

male/female

Intersex                                                    

has a DSD - note: the phrase 'assigned female at birth' can only ever accurately be used for people with DSDs

Conversion therapy                                

psychological support to help people feel comfortable in their bodies

Gender-affirming care                            

drugs/opposite sex hormones/surgery/medical protocols for a diagnosis of  'gender dysphoria'

Puberty blockers                                     

drugs that prevent the natural release of adolescent hormones 

 LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI                          

lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans-identifying. Don't use acronyms and don't say queer unless it's a quote

Final note: deciding to neutralise language when you're unsure about a person's sex, or for example court reporting restrictions, is fine. Neutralising language to remove sexed terms for no reason other than detaching the words 'female' and 'male' from their natural uses is pointless, unhelpful and activist.  

'Do I have to use preferred pronouns to be kind?'  

Your primary function is to be truthful.  Remember that in being kind to one group you are being unkind to another. In this debate, you cannot be kind to everyone, but you can be accurate.  

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