Trans Media Watch has been supported in its work by a number of media organisations and leading public figures. It welcomes the support of allies within the media who can help it to bring about change.

If you are an individual working in the media and you would like to show your support, talk to us about becoming a Friend of Trans Media Watch like former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played the best established trans character on British television.

Memorandum of Understanding

In March 2011 TMW launched a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed by Channel 4 and Women in Journalism. It outlined four key commitments:-

• Eliminating transphobia in the media.
• Ending the provision of misinformation about transgender issues in the media.
• Increasing positive, well-informed representations of transgender people in the media.
• Ensuring that transgender people working in or with the media are treated with the same respect as non-transgender people in equivalent positions.

Lynne Featherstone MP, then Coalition government Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities, addressed the MoU launch, which also received support from the Scottish Government.

The MoU was the starting point for collaborative work with Channel 4 which contributed, among other things, to the development of the popular reality series My Transsexual Summer. Research showed that this series led to significant improvements in public understanding and acceptance of trans people over the next few years.

If your organisation would like to develop an agreement with TMW, please contact us to discuss it.