How to photograph trans sources without putting them at risk

In regions actively criminalizing trans people, our caregivers, or medical or other professionals associated with our care, sources may be at increased risk for violence or retaliation. Consider carefully how a particular image or video clip could have safety implications for trans people and their loved ones.

Public events, like Pride marches and protests, are fair game for news photography. But in spaces where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as medical clinics, photojournalists and videographers should ask for and receive clear, informed consent before taking a photo or video of someone that identifies them as trans.

If consent cannot be obtained or is expressly denied, do not use the image unless there is an extremely compelling reason to do so. Publishing an image of a trans person against their will may amount to outing them and could place them in physical danger.

Trans youth have been increasingly subjected to political and personal attacks over the last several years. Take the safety risks associated with depicting a trans child’s likeness into account. When necessary, consider using creative in-camera techniques, such as silhouetting, to obscure their identity.

Although some children may technically be “public figures” because they have testified against bills in statehouses, the degree of exposure and safety risk they face by attending a hearing may differ significantly from the risk associated with having their name and likeness published online where it can easily be found.

Never republish or embed sensitive medical photos of a trans person’s body without that person’s explicit consent, and carefully weigh the news value of doing so even if consent is obtained. Surgical photos of trans people are sometimes reposted as shock imagery by critics of transgender medical care, without the patient’s knowledge. If in doubt about the source of an image, do not publish it.

In cutlines and captions, only include information that can be verified about someone’s identity. Do not assume that a person’s presence at a trans-focused event, for example, means they are trans. If it’s not possible to clarify and there is any ambiguity about a person’s name or gender, use another term to describe them: A protester at a rally for trans rights, a person in a green wig, etc.

In crowd shots, avoid identifying specific people or groups as trans unless the group is explicitly made up only of trans people — but inversely, do not broaden to LGBTQ+ unless a group could include cisgender queer people in addition to trans people. Do not conflate drag performers or gender-nonconforming people with trans people or identify either group as such without confirmation.

For video stories, reporters should, where possible, avoid using specific portions of a clip that include deadnaming or misgendering. This includes archival footage of a trans person prior to their coming out. Alternatively, let listeners or viewers know the person is being misgendered or deadnamed and censor the words, as with a curse word or other protected personal information. Do not “bleep” the tape; drop out the sound instead.