Misgendering, media, and responsibility

The Cebu Journalism & Journalists (CJJ) website has published two articles this week, one written by me and the other by Jason Baguia, my former colleague at UP Cebu and now a researcher with the Media Narratives and Cultural Memory research group at the Center for Research in Communication and Culture, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) in Lisbon, Portugal.

The one I wrote is titled “Cebu Media Guide to Sensitive Gender Reporting: From CCPC-Stet September 2024 ‘Mamser’ Forum.” Baguia’s piece is titled “Beware of Technology, Be Fair, Verify: ‘Mamser’ Forum Affirms Values of News Reporting Apply to Gender Coverage.” You may access these articles at https://cebujournalism.ph/.

To recall, on September 19, 2024, Cebu’s journalists, editors, students, and LGBTQ+ allies came together for a Cebu Press Freedom Week forum titled "MamSer: Improving Media Reporting on Gender." Organized by the Cebu Citizens-Press Council and Stet-Women in Cebu Media, the event was prompted by the uproar over a misgendering incident involving Jude Bacalso, a Cebuano media figure. The incident drew strong reactions online, mostly critical of Bacalso, but it also highlighted the need for more thoughtful press coverage of gender issues.

Bacalso herself shared her experience during the forum, where I was also a guest speaker representing Cebu Media Legal Aid (CEMLA). Joining us were Professor Archill Capistrano from the University of the Philippines Cebu and Chase Go, founder of the Philippine Chamber of Transman Equality and Commerce and Industry Awareness Movement.

The guide I wrote aims to bring together the lessons shared during the forum. As I stated in the introduction, “It is hoped that journalists will use it to learn how to handle gender-sensitive topics—like using correct pronouns, avoiding stereotypes, and respecting privacy. This is not a list of rules; it’s a practical tool designed to help journalists get it right in everyday reporting.” I invite journalists, communication students, and the reading public to read it, hoping it will help them in their work, studies, or understanding of the issues.

Please take a moment to also read Jason Baguia’s article, as it offers critical reflections on the lessons from the Jude Bacalso controversy. Baguia highlights the challenges journalists face in today’s digital age, including verifying social media posts and ensuring fair, balanced reporting. I’d like to share some of Baguia’s most valuable insights.

Baguia wrote: “I learned once again from the forum that while a picture may say a thousand words, those words could all be wrong. Soon after the incident, a picture had circulated on the internet in which Bacalso was seated at a table while the waiter stood nearby. A picture like this calls for astute photojournalism.”

“It appears that public outrage against Bacalso had been fueled by captions, not necessarily written by professional journalists, to the effect that the media personality berated the waiter. This conjecture based on a still picture was contested by Bacalso, who asserts having dealt with the matter with humor and tact, and without any intention to go public. The media wave and public agitation in view of this incident has mooted the question of whether it ought to have remained a private affair.”

“Reporters ought to have looked for opportunities to find out the truth behind the picture. Were the words of the one who released it faithful to the facts? What really happened?”

“As things stood, to both Bacalso and the waiter, they were, without their consent, thrust into the limelight. Whether covering gender or other issues, journalistic protocols are evergreen, even in our digitized contexts: Seek the facts, be fair, and do no harm.”