On Wednesday, November 20, EHN's Pittsburgh reporter Kristina Marusic will speak at an event aimed at helping journalists appropriately cover the LGBTQ+ community in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Marusic, who previously covered the LGBTQ+ community extensively as a freelance reporter, will be joined by filmmaker and writer Corrinne Jasmin, journalist and blogger Beth McDonough, designer and writer Samone Riddle, multimedia artist Tatiana Farfan-Narcisse, and WESA producer Katie Blackley.
"Most local publications don't have a dedicated LGBTQ+ beat," Marusic said, "so journalists who aren't members of the community are often tasked with covering stories about us that might take them outside their comfort zone. We want to help make their jobs easier."
The group will discuss the importance of cultural competency when writing about the LGBTQ+ community, review general best practices, and provide resources on using the right language and terminology—particularly when covering transgender and nonbinary people.
Marusic will moderate the panel and discuss challenges faced by the bisexual community—even within the LGBTQ+ community—and how journalists can play a role in changing that.
The event, which will be held at WESA Studios in Pittsburgh's Southside from 6-8 PM, is being organized by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. Entry is free and all are welcome. RSVPs are requested through EventBrite.
