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CBS News embraces "transphobic dog whistle" under Bari Weiss' guidance

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/cbs-news-embraces-transphobic-dog-whistle-under-bari-weiss-guidance/

Greg Owen (16 Jan 2026)

CBS News has adopted a new term and an old dog whistle to address sex assigned at birth: "biological sex at birth" — but without the quotes.

On Tuesday, after a months-long internal debate at the network over how to address transgender people in its coverage and the terminology associated with them, Tom Burke, senior director of standards and practices at CBS News, issued a memo to staff about the change, The Wrap reports.

Effective immediately, the news division "will use the term biological sex at birth" with "no quotes needed." CBS Evening News used the term in its coverage of oral arguments the same day at the Supreme Court in two cases challenging bans on trans student-athletes in school sports.

It's a switch overseen by Bari Weiss, the queer and controversial new editor-in-chief at CBS News installed by Trump ally David Ellison, following his purchase of Paramount Studios last year. CBS is owned by Paramount.

Weiss has a history of transphobic public stances, which she describes as "moderation." The editorial change is an about-face for CBS News' standards department.

In November, Burke recommended following style guidance from the Trans Journalists Association (TJA) in an email conversation about a story covering the Trump administration's efforts to erase trans identity from U.S. passports.

Jan Crawford, the network's chief legal correspondent, disagreed with the TJA's guidance.

"We have had this discussion multiple times before, and I continue to believe we should refrain from adopting terminology advocated by the movement and continue to use 'biological sex' without putting it in quotes," she wrote.

We have had this discussion multiple times before, and I continue to believe we should refrain from adopting terminology advocated by the MAGA movement.

Since we can pick and choose the terminology we want to use, regardless of what society in general accepts, we should choose the one that most accurately reflects the context.

Gender is never "assigned at birth". Fact.
 

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 16, 2026, 07:02:11 PMGender is never "assigned at birth". Fact.

Yeah, and Bari Weiss demonstrates here how identity doesn't always align with politics or solidarity on every issue.

It's sad seeing mainstream outlets and even some in the community moving in this direction amid everything else happening right now.

Feels like a stab in the back! 🤕


~ Lilis 🌷

Oh, I've always taken that phrase differently, Lori. I've taken it to mean that I was assigned the gender male when I was born, and that assignment was invalid. But it sounds like I'm probably bringing up old topics here, so I won't wade into it any further.

Quote from: Pema on January 16, 2026, 11:11:51 PMOh, I've always taken that phrase differently, Lori. I've taken it to mean that I was assigned the gender male when I was born, and that assignment was invalid.

Sex is assigned at birth, not gender. Gender is an internal sense of self, and newborns are never asked what gender they are.

😆

Quote from: Lori Dee on January 16, 2026, 11:51:42 PMSex is assigned at birth, not gender. Gender is an internal sense of self, and newborns are never asked what gender they are.

Yes, this is a dangerous conflation of sex assigned at birth with gender.

Over on another forum, a thread exploded with hundreds of replies as people chime in to come up with a real, solid ways for the trans community to fight back.

In the end, no one could produce anything concrete or convincing, the conversation just fizzled out without an answer.

~ Lilis 🌷

Quote from: Lilis on Yesterday at 12:44:24 AMYes, this is a dangerous conflation of sex assigned at birth with gender.

Over on another forum, a thread exploded with hundreds of replies as people chime in to come up with a real, solid ways for the trans community to fight back.

In the end, no one could produce anything concrete or convincing, the conversation just fizzled out without an answer.

~ Lilis 🌷

The definitions should be clear enough. It's when politicians decide to make their own definitions that chaos ensues. The science and medical experts agree on the correct definition.

I never did care for the term "Assigned at birth".  Pretty much everything regarding birth is observed and recorded.  The time and date of the birth.  The hospitals name, doctors name, who the parents are.  Biological sex is observed at birth and recorded.

The only thing I can truly come up with that is assigned at birth, is the child's given names (first and middle).

Quote from: Lilis on Yesterday at 12:44:24 AMIn the end, no one could produce anything concrete or convincing, the conversation just fizzled out without an answer.
~ Lilis 🌷

As for the other side of this conversation, for the reason Lilis highlighted, I don't even try to enter in to it.

As for Bari Weiss, I've listened to a number of her podcasts and I agree with her on a number of issues, but over all her opinions are typically to left of mine.  I do find that her facts seem to be accurate and she doesn't play the game of trying to sway the narrative by omitting the uncomfortable part of a story.  She's gotten a lot of grief over that.

BTW she had an excellent podcast on Qatar.  "How Qatar Bought America - Honestly with Bari Weiss". It's pretty scary.

Paulie.