9 in 10 LGBTQ journalists face abuse and harassment

In a survey of 40 UK LGBTQ journalists published by Birmingham City University, 86% of respondents said they had been abused and harassed, and 62% of them did not report it internally.

Survey: 9 out of 10 lgbtq journalists face threats and harassment online photo 1 — Illustration: James A. Molnar

The majority of respondents (78%) also said the environment for LGBTQ journalists is getting worse, while their employers do not provide enough protection (78%) or have policies that recognize specific risks (58%).

Articles about events like Pride — when written by LGBTQ journalists — can draw abuse from trolls because they are seen as biased or fabricated compared to stories written by their heterosexual counterparts.

“Some journalists now have this idea that abuse is part of the job, you just have to get on with it,” said the survey’s author, freelance journalist Finbarr Toesland.

“Especially when companies are encouraging journalists to go to social media to engage with readers, the lines between personal and professional really blur. Sometimes it can be overwhelming for people who don’t want to face criticism,” Toesland added.

It is this culture that has prevented LGBTQ journalists from reporting abuse and discrimination internally. Many believe they will be seen as weak and ‘inappropriate’ if they speak out about how abuse has affected them.

Furthermore, few UK newsrooms have procedures in place to deal with these cases, so victims do not report their experiences because they do not believe their employers will take action.

The report also provides seven key recommendations for newsrooms to improve support for LGBTQ journalists, including helping them address homophobic threats; developing anti-abuse practices; and ensuring that incidents of abuse and harassment are recorded, tracked and reported.

“It’s hard for a journalist to say, ‘I’m going to change the entire newsroom environment,’” Toesland says. “It’s much easier to find a newsroom that values you and makes sure you feel safe and comfortable.”

Huy Hoang (according to Journalism)

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