Zavod TransAkcija has published a report on media coverage of sexual minorities in 2024. Employees of the Pride Parade Association joined the press conference marking the release of the report.
In the press release, they highlighted the increase in hatred towards sexual minorities over the past year. They found that the media have significantly contributed to this rise through sensationalist and selective reporting, as well as openly hostile rhetoric.
“Hatred towards sexual minorities did not emerge in a vacuum. Political movements in the West have increasingly exploited related topics in recent years to promote nationalist and exclusionary ideologies — from the legal threats to trans people in the U.S. to the spread of anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric on influential tech platforms. Slovenia is not immune to this international trend of scapegoating sexual minorities to consolidate political power.”
At the press conference, TransAkcija also called for action from both the media and public institutions.
The media must not become a tool for inciting hatred but should instead serve as a guardian of objectivity and ethical reporting standards. Public institutions, on the other hand, must fulfill their mandate to ensure the safety, dignity, and equality of all citizens.
The analysis examined 550 articles from Slovenian media and revealed how they contributed to the spread of misinformation and harmful rhetoric. It found that as many as 58% of the reviewed articles contained negative or sensationalist content. Nearly half (45%) were exclusively negative. Of all analyzed articles, 440 (80%) focused on trans issues, indicating a selective media focus primarily targeting the trans community. Articles covering trans topics were also more likely to rely on exoticization, fear-mongering, and sensationalism.
The full report is available HERE.