Assigned Media
LightNews LightNews
banner
assignedmedia.org
Assigned Media
@assignedmedia.org
59K followers 500 following 6.2K posts
An independent news website about trans issues, by trans journalists. assignedmedia.org

Support our work: https://www.assignedmedia.org/support
Posts Replies Media Videos
assignedmedia.org
Billie spoke with journalistic experts on the abdication of responsibility in the mainstream press for vetting and fact checking these ideologically motivated faux-medical groups.

It's a problem that continues to bedevil reporting on trans healthcare, making Billie's July piece a must read.
“It's been a shameful chapter,” said Kyle Pope, who was editor and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review for seven years. As the hard right’s message has been integrated into the mainstream, the obligation to incorporate empathy in news coverage has often been disregarded. “What does this mean for people who are not like you?” he asked. “Where are the people you’re covering? Who are you writing for?” “The right became very comfortable with the whole idea of ideological journalism,” Pope said, even as other big national outlets grew shy of “calling out injustice in a way I found surprising and perplexing — and not really doing what the press is all about.”
December 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
assignedmedia.org
A main focus of the piece is a former pediatrician, Michelle Cretella, whose lack of any active license to practice medicine rarely prevents her being presented as a medical authority in mainstream news.
The host of the video-cast, Tony Perkins, introduced Cretella as “doctor” and identified her as the “chairman of the adolescent sexuality committee” for an official-sounding organization of pediatricians. The problem is, the organization, the American College of Pediatricians, is an extremist political group devoted to a religious right agenda that opposes same-sex marriage and abortion rights and promotes conversion therapy. It’s traded on an “aura of medical authority as Mother Jones put it in 2023, to pump out political statements and court briefs. Cretella has traded on that same aura. Licensure records in Rhode Island, where she first practiced, show that her medical license expired in 2020. In Connecticut, licensure records show that she was at least briefly affiliated with a practice there, but that her license was “inactive.” Cretella is not listed as a pediatrician in any nationwide certification database.
December 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
assignedmedia.org
From our comments:
As an alumnus of Northwestern (‘96) I was absolutely devastated and disappointed with the university’s failure to stand up for its students and larger NU community. This reputational stain will remain long after the current administration is gone. Thank you for bringing attention to the explicit and implicit effects of this capitulation.
December 1, 2025 at 2:03 PM
assignedmedia.org
Remy Jackalope of Transcendence Care Network has said that the group will share information about trans people currently or recently in ICE custody.
Trans Day of Remembrance National Vigil Live stream November 20th 12:00am ET - 11:59 HCT Remember our trans elders, ancestors, and the people disappeared this year and throughout time Know your rights as a trans person Also including: Important updates on the state of trans rights in the United States Stories of first hand reports in ICE facilities Ways people can get involved to protect at-risk people, their community, and themselves
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
assignedmedia.org
A new trans group (emerging out of Nexus Moving Company's trans relocation project) is hosting a virtual vigil for TDOR.
A National Vigil Trans Day of Remembrance Nov 20th An informative 24-Hour live stream Know Your Rights / Emerging Risks Community Defense Initiatives https://www YouTube.com/@TransDayofRemembrance
November 19, 2025 at 5:27 PM
assignedmedia.org
And in Madison, WI Alys Brooks spoke with a queer mental health worker about his concerns for his trans clients.
A bearded man in a colorful rainbow hooded vest, with the hood up smiles at the camera in front of the Madison, WI No Kings crowd.
October 20, 2025 at 11:16 AM
assignedmedia.org
In New York City, @janethebane.meangirls.online spoke with some real live trans youth about their activism and the chilling experience of seeing friends closet themselves in response to the Trump administration's relentless attacks.
Three teens at the No Kings rally in NYC. On the left, a kid in a rainbow mask peeps into frame behind a sign whose words have been cut off. In the center, a smiling red-head in a grey cap and a vest covered in buttons holds a trans flag. On the right, a tall youth in a black shirt flashes a peace sign.
October 20, 2025 at 11:14 AM
assignedmedia.org
In Chicago, one of the sponsoring organizations was Equality Illinois. @piperbomb.bsky.social spoke with CEO Channyn Lynne Parker, a proud Black trans woman, about the hardship of seeing hard won rights stripped from our community and what the Trump administration really fears.
Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Equality Illinois, at the No Kings rally in Chicago. Parker is a black woman wearing a leopard-print top and an open green jacket, she is smiling and standing in front of the rally crowd.
October 20, 2025 at 11:09 AM
assignedmedia.org
This one doesn’t have a trans angle, I just thought it was funny/representative of the almost nonexistent police presence.
Amidst the crowd at the No Kings rally on Boston Common two police officers in day-glo vests stand casually with their hands in their pockets.
October 18, 2025 at 7:33 PM
assignedmedia.org
This one came out decent.
Downtown Boston skyline seen from the crowd at the No Kings rally on the common. In the center of the crowd, a trans pride flag.
October 18, 2025 at 6:40 PM
assignedmedia.org
A shot from the crowd on Boston Common. In the foreground a sign says “Resist Fascism” with a small rainbow flag taped beneath it.
October 18, 2025 at 5:47 PM
assignedmedia.org
A man flies a progress flag in the crowd on Boston Common. A man in a strictness hat stands next to him. In the background, a second progress flag is visible.
October 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM
assignedmedia.org
Evan here. I’m one of three Assigned Media reporters on the scene at No Kings rallies in Boston, Chicago, and New York City.

Here’s a few of my pictures, (full story Monday morning).
At the No Kings rally on Boston Common, two women and a child hold signs saying “Stop pretending your racism is patriotism” and “Protect Trans Kids”. The woman on the left has a progress flag wrapped around her shoulders like a cape.
October 18, 2025 at 5:43 PM
assignedmedia.org
A cartoon Charlie Kirk in a rowboat on a lake of fire. A fellow dead conservative Christian is holding a slice of pizza over the flames. "It's the only way to get hot pizza here, son."
October 14, 2025 at 3:06 PM
assignedmedia.org
A pencil drawing of a grinning Charlie Kirk, with a hole in his neck and red writing quoting Kirk saying "I can't stand the word 'empathy.'" "We need a lot more prisoners." "It's worth the cost of some gun death." "Submit to your husband!" "I'm done talking about Epstein." etc.
October 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
assignedmedia.org
A full body drawing of Charlie Kirk (with a tiny face) on his knees. Large text says "Praise be! Before death he has found Allah <3"
October 14, 2025 at 3:02 PM
assignedmedia.org
A picture of a small quilt laid out on a lawn. In the center is a square with a crudely drawn Charlie Kirk face with xs for eyes and devil horns. The words "dead nazi" appear in large rectangles near the top and bottom, and the border is domnated with a purple fabric with white pentacles.
October 14, 2025 at 12:10 PM
assignedmedia.org
A flow chart diagramming the "Crime of the Century" showing Charlie Kirk's tiny face and most of his body (labeled "a 100% empathy-free American patriot"), his "normal Christian genitals"), a "homosexual bullet," and a masked killer labeled "transgender anarchist furry George Soros" among others.
October 14, 2025 at 11:54 AM
assignedmedia.org
A stylized portrait of Charlie Kirk that prominently features his gums in deep red. The background is the pride rainbow. Across the top (and over Kirk's forehead) the words "still fukkin ded lol" appear in plain white font.
October 14, 2025 at 11:50 AM
assignedmedia.org
A lovely portrait of Charlie Kirk in warm tones reminiscent of hellfire. Kirk has a teeny tiny face, dwarfed by large devil horns.
October 14, 2025 at 11:48 AM
assignedmedia.org
Let's go!!!

Remember to get in your entries for the Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day Art contest - only 8 more days to go!
That’s why we’re announcing this art contest to help ensure that October 14 2025 is a remembrance of the hateful, ugly, vicious person Charlie Kirk was rather than the martyr far-right extremists want him to be. Here are the rules for the art contest: Absolutely no AI, all AI submissions will be disqualified. Drawings containing calls for further violence or that tend to celebrate the shooter will be disqualified at the discretion of Assigned Media. All entry art can be used by Assigned Media, all other rights remain with the artist All entries must be submitted via email by October 10, 2025 to AssignedMedia@proton.me Winners will be announced October 14, along with a showcase of qualified entries Entries can be made anonymously. If you would like your name or handle to be included, please clearly state that in the email. 1st Prize will be $500, distributed by Assigned Media 2 additional special prizes of jewelry, courtesy of Nora Reed Designs, will also be distributed
October 2, 2025 at 2:51 PM
assignedmedia.org
It's not an understatement to say that Erickson's support of ONE, Inc was instrumental in preserving queer history and supporting the gay community at the time. ONE did everything from running support hotlines and queer archives to printing informational booklets and awarding the first doctorates in "homophile studies"--the precursor to queer studies degrees--and Erickson's EEF underwrote nearly all of it. His life story is far too chaotic and fascinating to tell all of in six panels, and I highly recommend looking into his life yourself. But I will close with this: if anyone ever tells you that LGB folk should drop the T, tell them this story and remind them that nearly the entirety of gay men's history was saved from financial ruin and obscurity by a trans man.
October 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM
assignedmedia.org
(Alt text: A drawing of Erickson's Mexico estate, the Love Joy Palace Ashram. It is a simple building in a fusion of Latin American stucco and Indian temple monastery styles.) Psychedelics and drugs weren't just a therapeutic research topic for Erickson, sadly, and his later years would see him in the clutches of addiction, with cocaine and ketamine being his substances of choice and isolation and neuroticism being his eventual fate. ONE and the EEF's relationship became frought over the later years, and despite Erickson's financial support (including saving their archive from ruin and helping them acquire a new headquarters) his rampant paranoia and distrust eventually coalesced into a massive falling out, with Erickson reneging on multiple agreements and ONE dead-naming and publicly outing Erickson in a lawsuit. Erickson eventually passed away in Mexico at his crumbling estate, The Joy Love Palace Ashram, in 1992.
October 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM
assignedmedia.org
(Alt text: A stack of books on various new age and trans topics by authors that Reed Erickson helped fund to some degree.) Trans healthcare was, without question, squarely in that category at the time, and after seeking the support of one Dr. Harry Benjamin for his own medical transition, Erickson would go on to become one of Benjamin's largest benefactors, as well as one of the principle underwriters of ONE, Inc. This noble goal, however, also included some other non-traditional scientific research topics, including on the topics of new age medicine (Erickson personally funded the first print run of Helen Schucman's A Course In Miracles), psychedelics in therapy, and alien research.
October 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM
assignedmedia.org
(Alt text: A portrait of Reed Erickson, a masculine, clean-shaven man in a business suit, smiling at the camera.) Reed Erickson was born in El Paso, grew up in Philadelphia, and spent his collegiate years in Baton Rouge, LA. The heir to the Erickson family lead smelting business and eventually a successful entrepreneur in his own right, Reed spent much of his life and his fortune on funding research "too new, controversial, or imaginative to encourage traditionally oriented support."
October 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM