Demand Accountability from your Media Source on Mass Shooting Reporting
In their rush to capture their share of attention for the current Big Thing, mainstream outlets reproduced “reporting” on the right that painted a narrative of murderous transgender hordes roving around to slay god-fearing children. But we can help hardworking professionals put in the effort to do REAL journalism by making their organizations feel the imperative to cover the meta-narrative: a campaign by scapegoating fearmongers to demonize trans people with cherry-picked facts and lies.
Option 1: Local and national
If you or a person you know is trans (or if you are nevertheless concerned!), you might find your time well spent contacting a California news org on this list that is familiar and relevant to you. Check the coverage on your local news source. Is it singling out transgender people or implicitly scapegoating minorities for our mass shooting epidemic?
If so, contact them and let them know of your concerns! You can use the below website:
https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/journalism-directory-list/california.
You will see a link to their webpage, where you can scroll down and find their phone number or contact information. Use a call/comment script like this:
“Hello, my name is <your name>. I am a member of Indivisible SF. I have friends who are concerned about the Minneapolis shooting being used to make trans people into a national scapegoat that might give our government a rationale for drastic actions that would curtail all of our rights. Gun Violence Archive is quoted saying trans people are only responsible for 0.11% of gun violence. Our communities need solutions, not scapegoats. Would your organization consider giving a voice to these concerns?”
If yes? Thank them for their attention.
If no? Ask for a reason.
“Thank you for your time, and have a nice day.”
Note: we do ask to be courteous, though you can be firm, but please no threats, nor foul language are to be expressed.
Option 2: International
At the bottom of the BBC website you can find a “contact the BBC,” link and, at the next page, click “comments” to go here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comments
Call/comment script:
Hello, my name is <your name>, and I am a member of Indivisible. I have concerns about media fixation on the Minneapolis shooting and the shooter’s identity. In coverage of the shooter, it seems some outlets emphasized certain aspects of the shooter’s identity and behavior, while leaving out other details that might have been more relevant. The US averages more than one mass shooting per day, and I have friends who find <the BBC’s, or other org’s> selective interest concerning. Gun Violence Archive is quoted saying trans people are only responsible for 0.11% of gun violence. Our communities need solutions, not scapegoats. Please consider covering the greater narrative of trans demonization in the United States. Thank you for your time.
Background
See our blog post on this topic.
References
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7760x87r4po
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpv0egk8d1ro
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g0lyny7ydo
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy40znde9eko
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev2w1elx7wo
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/13/death-toll-extreme-heat-arizona-county
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/27/minneapolis-shooting-sidewalk/85845128007/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/montana-shooting-suspect-captured/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mass_shootings_in_the_United_States_in_2025
https://www.newsweek.com/maga-reaction-annunciation-school-shooter-transgender-2120436
https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
https://glaad.org/transvestigation-definition-meaning-anti-lgbt-online-hate/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/school-shooter-nazi-salutes-erratic-004543787.html
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/tags/en/tag/der-sturmer
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/blood-libel
Other Resources
Why Are Trans People So Readily Villainized? | Opinion
https://www.newsweek.com/why-are-trans-people-so-readily-villainized-opinion-1802456
“Activists are pointing to the attacker’s gender identity to falsely portray all transgender people as prone to mental illness and violence”.
Conservatives Use Minneapolis Shooting in Anti-Transgender Campaigns
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/us/politics/minneapolis-shooting-anti-transgender-conservatives-robin-westman.html
“In the immediate aftermath of the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting on Aug. 27, a familiar narrative appeared on social media: The suspect, some high-profile accounts began positing, was transgender.”
No, there is not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/29/shooting-minnesota-school-transgender-online-untruths/85876291007/