New trans rights row at the Guardian after audio from staff meeting recorded
A fresh row has broken out at The Guardian about its coverage of trans rights after a US website published a recording of a staff meeting.
Journalists, including The Observer’s chief leader writer Sonia Sodha, were heard on the audio.
It was recorded at an “untangling sex and gender” meeting and leaked to the Semafor site.
She told colleagues: “I’ve had attempts to try and get me kicked off charitable boards. I’ve been doxxed [having personal information published] online by people who disagree with me on this issue... It’s just an example of how toxic and polarised this debate is.”
Another speaker complained of efforts to “stop meetings taking place” to discuss the issue.
The Guardian’s attempts to balance the views of its staff between pro-trans supporters and those who feel trans rights impinge on women’s rights has seen prominent journalists including Suzanne Moore and Hadley Freeman leave the organisation.
Moore left after around 338 members of staff signed a letter complaining about transphobia at work which she believed was aimed at her.
Writing in the Evening Standard, Moore said she left after she “suffered the consequences of expressing a view contrary to the liberal orthodoxy”.
There was further controversy last week when a Guardian reviewer gave Roisin Murphy’s new album five stars but said the singer’s misgivings on the use of puberty blocking drugs would mean it was “compromised for many fans”, prompting some readers to say that they would cancel their subscriptions.
The Guardian declined to comment.