Our longtime colleague Ken Shepherd at the Washington Times reported the AP Stylebook team are re-jiggering their politically correct terminology again on the transgender issues. They call themselves "the journalist's bible." They took to their @APStylebook Twitter page on Tuesday to offer an update.
First, "Use transgender for people whose gender identity doesn’t match the sex or gender they were identified as having at birth." Then, let people forget someone switched genders if possible.
“Call people transgender only if relevant; give the name they use publicly; avoid references to being born a boy or girl,” wrote @APStylebook during the interactive Twitter session.
The wire agency then urged writers to “[a]void transgendered or transsexual; don’t call someone a transgender; trans is OK on second reference and in headlines.”
In a subsequent tweet, the AP prescribed the terminology to be used to refer to an individual’s medical procedures for transitioning: “For medical procedures often but not always used for a transition, say sex reassignment or gender confirmation.”
They added for emphasis: "This usage of gender confirmation is new to the gender entry on Stylebook Online today."
Calling genital mutilation a "gender confirmation" is purely Orwellian language. Once again, AP is all about bowing to the "social identity" lobbyists. "Avoid references to being born a boy or girl" is basically telling reporters "avoid inconvenient facts when convenient fictions are preferred."
In March, the AP cited "leading medical organizations" as their authorities that gender is now a "social identity," not what you look down and see, and they implied these medical experts see a gender blur or spectrum, not two genders. “Not all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender, according to leading medical organizations, so avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders as a way to encompass all people."
The AP is also bending on using "they" and "them" to refer to one gender-confused person who insists on identifying as a plural. In March, they felt avoiding this usage was "preferable" to insure "clarity." But the position is melting. Now it's "They/them/there [sic] is OK in limited cases as a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun; do not use other neutral pronouns like ze."
When they were asked by one reader, “Why are neutral pronouns like ze/zir not OK?”, @APStylebook professed a willingness to shift with the cultural winds: "For broad audiences, it's best to use terms with which people are most familiar. We are open to revisiting if usage increases."
For people who dislike these terms, AP also added that the use of "homophobia" is fine when describing conservatives: "Homophobia is acceptable in broad references and quotes. When describing individuals' actions, use more specific language."
