‘Slate’ and transgender people

Slate is an American group blog. Its coverage of transgender people is generally fair and accurate. Slate also has a dedicated LGBT section called Outward and publishes work by transgender authors, including Alex Barasch, Katelyn Burns, Parker Molloy, and Evan Urquhart.

Background

Slate was founded in 1996 by Michael Kinsley with funding from Microsoft. In 2004, it was purchased by The Washington Post Company (later renamed the Graham Holdings Company).

Since 2008, Slate has been managed by The Slate Group arm of Graham Holdings.

Trans coverage

Several writers frequently cover transgender topics, including Christina Cauterucci, J. Bryan Lowder, Willa Paskin, Mark Joseph Stern, and June Thomas.

Slate is also known for publishing “contrarian” pieces, derided by journalists as “Slate pitches.” Some of Slate’s pieces on trans topics have attracted criticism, most notably a piece by Michelle Goldberg profiling conservative trans activists, featuring “Helen Highwater,” Miranda Yardley, Corinna Cohn, and Aoife Assumpta Hart.

Podcasts

Slate has produced a wide range of podcasts. Their site describes Political Gabfest, Culture Gabfest, DoubleX Gabfest, and Hang Up and Listen as its four “elder statesmen” podcasts.

Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick: Dahlia Lithwick; 2014–present
Audio Book Club: John Swansburg, Julia Turner, and rotating Slate editors/critics; 2006–2018
Care and Feeding: Allison Benedikt, later various hosts; 2017–2020
Culture Gabfest: Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner; later various combinations; 2008–present
Dear Prudence: Mallory Ortberg, then Danny M. Lavery; 2016–2022
Decoder Ring: Willa Paskin; 2018–present
Death, Sex & Money: Anna Sale; 2014–2024 as a Slate production
DoubleX Gabfest: Hanna Rosin, Noreen Malone, Allison Benedikt, June Thomas, Jessica Grose and others; 2010–2014
Flash Forward: [Reo] Eveleth; 2015–2020 as a Slate production
Future Tense Fiction: Various Slate/Future Tense hosts and contributors; 2015–2017
The Gist: Mike Pesca; 2014–2020. Hang Up and Listen: Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, Mike Pesca; 2009–2021
Hear Me Out: Celeste Headlee; 2021–2024
Hit Parade: Chris Molanphy; 2019–present
How To!: Courtney Martin and Carvell Wallace; 2019–present
ICYMI: Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher; later Kate Lindsay; 2020–present
The History of American Democracy: Jamelle Bouie and Rebecca Onion; 2020–2022
Lexicon Valley: Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo; later John McWhorter; 2012–2021
Mom and Dad Are Fighting: Allison Benedikt, Dan Kois, and later Gabriel Roth; later Elizabeth Newcamp and Zak Rosen; 2010–2025
The Next Picture Show: Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, Forrest Wickman, and later various Slate film critics; 2015–2023
One Year: Various Slate historians/narrators, including Josh Levin and Evan Chung; 2020–present as an intermittent series
Outward: J. Bryan Lowder, Christina Cauterucci, June Thomas, Jules Gill-Peterson and others; 2018–2023
The Political Gabfest: Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, David Plotz; numerous guest hosts; 2005–present
Placemakers: Various Slate/Future Tense contributors; 2016–2018
Represent: Aisha Harris; 2016–2018
The Secret History of the Future: John Higgs and Paul Ford; 2018–2019
Slate Money: Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, Elizabeth Spiers; later Felix Salmon and rotating cohosts; 2014–present
Slow Burn: Leon Neyfakh; later Joel Anderson, Christina Cauterucci, Noreen Malone, Andrew McCarthy, Susan Matthews, and Josh Levin; 2017–present
The Waves: Christina Cauterucci, June Thomas, Nichole Perkins, Cheyna Roth, and others; 2014–present. Thirst Aid Kit: Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins; 2017–2021
Trumpcast: Virginia Heffernan, Leon Krauze, Jamelle Bouie, Jacob Weisberg and others; 2016–2021
What Next: Mary Harris; 2019–present
What Next: TBD: Lizzie O’Leary; 2023–present
Whistlestop: John Dickerson; 2015–2021
Working: Various hosts including David Plotz, Jacob Weisberg, and June Thomas; 2015–2025

References

Williams, Cristan (March 22, 2018). Slate wants you to be concerned that, “A Disproportionate Number of Autistic Youth Are Transgender.” Here’s why that concern is BS. TransAdvocate https://www.transadvocate.com/slate-wants-you-to-be-concerned-that-a-disproportionate-number-of-autistic-youth-are-transgender-heres-why-that-concern-is-bs_n_22182.htm

Selected writing on Slate

Urquhart, Evan (March 21, 2018). A Disproportionate Number of Autistic Youth Are Transgender. Why? Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/03/why-are-a-disproportionate-number-of-autistic-youth-transgender.html

(December 9, 2015). The Trans Women Who Say That Trans Women Aren’t Women. Slate https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/12/gender-critical-trans-women-the-apostates-of-the-trans-rights-movement.html