It’s safe to say that being a transgender person in the news industry currently can be overwhelming at the best of times. On top of fighting efforts to outlaw our entire existence, we are not receiving proper representation within mainstream news coverage, a fact that serves to exasperate the already growing issue of our rights being taken away.
That is why organizations like the Trans Journalists Association were founded. TJA is a professional membership organization that seeks to uplift transgender journalists and promote more nuanced news coverage on trans issues. Since 2020, it has supported more than 1,000 trans and gender-expansive journalists in building careers.
Recently, TJA announced it would be adding two new co-executive directors to manage the organization. Tre’vell Anderson and Kae Petrin will continue the group’s mission of promoting accurate coverage of trans rights in the media and fostering the careers of gender-expansive journalists.
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“Not being able to find something in a Home Depot and getting lost even after you ask an employee for help” was Allen’s first example.
Tre’vell Anderson is a former chapter president and national board member of the National Association of Black Journalists. Anderson’s pronouns are They/Them. They are credited with developing the TJA’s new Level Up stipends program, a new initiative for financially helping journalists within the organization by offering stipends of up to $500 to cover costs for attending work events and conferences. Anderson will serve their role in a full-time capacity.
“I’m honored to be joining the TJA as Co-director,” said Anderson “especially at this pivotal time for our community. I look forward to working with Kae and the board to continue serving members’ needs and fulfilling the organization’s mission of promoting more accurate, nuanced coverage of trans rights and communities in the media.”
Kae Petrin is a senior member of the TJA who helped co-found the organization in 2020 and has since run many of the organization’s internal operations in an interim capacity. Petrin’s pronouns are They/Ze/Hir. Petrin will serve in a part-time capacity to help facilitate leadership continuity and assess the organization’s needs as it continues to grow.
“This organization started as four-dozen journalists in a support channel.” said Petrin “It’s pretty astonishing that we’ve grown from an all-volunteer team with a few thousand dollars, to hiring actual staff, in less than two years. That’s thanks to the dedication of trans journalists who built space for ourselves in journalism.”
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