Press Council accused of censoring media over the word ‘transgender’

The Australian Press Council has ruled its standards were breached by referring to a woman’s transgender status.

The Australian Press Council has ruled its standards of practice were breached by Nine.com.au and The Daily Mail referring to a woman’s transgender status, prompting an accusation the council was trying to “censor” the media’s use of the word.

The complaints against The Daily Mail and Nine.com.au related to reports that Jade Walker, sister of NRL star Dylan Walker, was on manslaughter charges over the death of her boyfriend, Gilbert Caetano, at his home in Sydney’s south. Ms Walker was later cleared of all charges related to the death of the 51-year-old. In two adjudications yesterday, the Press Council said Ms Walker’s transgender status was not relevant to the alleged criminality.

The Daily Mail’s story was published online with the headline “EXCLUSIVE: Transgender sister, 31, of football star is charged with manslaughter over the death of her boyfriend, 51, after ‘domestic violence’ incident at a house in Sydney’s south.”

Nine.com.au’s article began by describing Ms Walker as Dylan Walker’s “transgender sister”.

Both publications argued Ms Walker had publicly described herself as transgender and that the references were not used extensively or in a demeaning manner. They said the description was factually accurate and helped to establish her identity for readers.

In two similar rulings, the council accepted she had publicly stated on social media she was transgender, but “considered that it was not relevant to the alleged criminal acts”. “Although it provided some further identification of the woman, it was not necessary to do so,” the rulings said.

While the council found the articles were reasonably fair and balanced, it said identifying her as transgender “could contribute to substantial prejudice against transgender people”. It said both publications breached General Principle 6 which require publications to avoid causing substantial offence, distress or prejudice unless it is in the public interest.

The Daily Mail and nine.com.au declined to comment yesterday. News.com.au editor-in-chief Kate de Brito said the Press Council seemed “determined to censor the media from using the word transgender”.

She said her news site had three active Press Council complaints regarding its use of the word. It had received numerous complaints over its description of convicted 7-Eleven axe attacker Evie Amati as transgender, even though this fact played a “significant part in court proceedings”.

She said her organisation had educated its reporters to be sensitive to these concerns.

De Brito said she took “exception to the idea” publications were censored from using the word transgender, “knowing that doing so will bring down the judgment of the Press Council and the lengthy, time-consuming process involved in representing ourselves in these adjudications”.