Outrage Journalism: Ammunition in the Culture Wars
Author: Jessica Morshed
Outrage Journalism: Ammunition in the Culture Wars Jessica Morshed An article was recently published in a local newspaper claiming that 8th grade students at Townsend Middle School watched a presentation that “promoted the acceptance of transgenderism and other inclusionary concepts” (Source: Broadwater County News, 2023). Even I, living states away in Colorado after having moved from Townsend upon graduating high school in 2013, heard about this piece of journalism from multiple people immediately after it was dispensed to readers. The concern, fear, and outrage that this article generated was palpable. Rumblings of a liberal agenda infiltrating the school district virtually overnight were multiplying. Yet after reading this highly-anticipated supposed “smoking gun”, I was left dumbfounded by just how carelessly this piece was written. My frustration was not born in dispute of the premise. In fact, I have my own apprehensions primarily about the long-term repercussions young people may encounter by consenting to medical interventions such as hormone replacement therapy and sex-reassignment surgery. These range from breast and prostate cancer, cardiovascular risks, and osteoporosis (Source: Hembree, Wylie et al., 2017). I also believe it’s crucial to question the root of what’s causing this once-niche demographic to proliferate so rapidly into zeitgeist territory. Despite 13 to 24-year-olds comprising only 18.6% of the U.S. population, they make up 42.7% of transgender-identified individuals in the country (Source: Herman, Jody, et al., 2022). It is because the health of our collective youth could potentially be at stake at such a large scale that I have high expectations of the journalists and public figures reporting on this topic. If a commentator questions or opposes a mainstream narrative, it’s incredibly important that their statements are well-researched, articulated, and backed by evidence. Sources are not just a formality; they offer a foundation for substantiating claims. This article not only lacked sources, but it was also published under false pretenses.
Out of the gate, the writing was prefaced with a photo taken from a movie called The Greatest Showman. There was no caption or source accompanying it. Should a reader be unfamiliar with the movie, they’re likely to infer that the photo is straight from the presentation at hand. The movie itself didn’t cast a single transgender-identifying character or contain a parallel narrative. Never mind the author not having the rights to use this photo; the shock factor alone of the photo with no context was enough to conjure rage in consumers. Possibly the most astonishing section of this piece was the first sentence. This was the only sentence in the entire article that referred to this supposed presentation taking place, yet no supporting information was supplied to readers. Was this presentation submitted by a student or a teacher? What was the title of the music video that was displayed during this presentation? Whose classroom did this occur in? Without divulging names, who is the source of this information (i.e. a student, teacher, or parent)? In what ways was the music video promoting transgenderism? What are the other “inclusionary concepts” in the video? The second sentence states that the term “non-binary” provides confusion in sexual identification according to science. What science can the author cite? The article goes on to regurgitate state senate and house bills pertaining to parental and religious rights in education. It also broadly implies that the School Board for the Townsend School District is facing challenges accommodating individual freedoms in curricula and providing a safe and legal atmosphere for students. The article references questions raised during a public meeting, but it doesn’t provide examples of the questions nor does it specify exactly in what ways the Board is struggling.
Our society is polarized to a degree we’ve never witnessed before at local, state, and national levels. We seem to be in a constant ideological war with our own neighbors. I would reason that the media we’re addicted to and entrenched in every day on our phones, computers, and radios is the main origin of these culture wars. Rage-baiting is a very real tactic used to generate ad revenue by increasing web traffic. In other words, Facebook is taking our angry posts straight to the bank. We consumers are just as guilty of feeding the beast as content creators are of breeding it. So, where do we go from here? Let’s start by holding journalists accountable for their reporting, especially if they are supposed to be a voice for your cause and are misrepresenting it. Let’s be cautious of media that profits from pitting one side against another – a consumer should be able to believe in gun rights and gay rights if they so choose without getting sidelined. Finally, let’s agree that we’re going to disagree, but debating with information over mud-slinging, scare tactics, and other cheap-shot fallacies is the only way to be taken seriously. With love to the tight-knit little town that shapes my work ethic and ideals to this very day… Jessica Morshed
Editor's Note: MT43 News contacted the Broadwater County News for a response and did not receive a reply.
