AP’s Woke Stylebook
Penna Dexter
In a recent Gallup poll, just 16 percent of those surveyed said they “have a great deal [or] quite a lot of confidence in newspapers” — an all-time low.
No big shock here. The Left is fomenting a wholesale rejection of truth and accuracy with the full cooperation of the legacy media.
The Daily Signal’s Jared Stepman reports that even the Associated Press Stylebook, the media’s trusted manual for the rules of grammar and style, has gone woke. He points out that, since 1953 the AP Stylebook has “aimed at reducing bias and creating a framework for evenhanded reporting.”
No longer.
In May, when the Supreme Court’s preliminary opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked, the pro-abortion Left saw an opportunity to influence the final decision in the Dobbs case by portraying abortion as vital to women’s rights.
But, since the Left is unable to define what a woman is, AP came to the rescue with new guidance that states, “Phrasing like pregnant people or people who seek an abortion seeks to include people who have those experiences but do not identify as women, such as some transgender men and some nonbinary people.”
Mr. Stepman reports that AP subsequently came out with a “Topical Guide” that deals with transgender issues. It states, “A person’s sex and gender are usually assigned at birth by parents or attendants and can turn out to be inaccurate.”
In its sports section, the guide contains instructions for reporters and editors against misgendering transgender athletes or questioning the idea of biological males competing in women’s sports.
And on gender transitioning for children: AP’s “Topical Guide” cites recommendations that “hormones can be started at age 14 and some surgeries at 15 to 17.” It says, “Treatments can improve psychological well-being and reduce suicidal behavior.”
And when it comes to LGBTQ interactions with children, the term ‘groom’ is never to be used.
This is not reporting. It’s advocacy — of a radical, destructive narrative.
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