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The course “Promoting Inclusivity: A Training Course for Journalists on LGBTQIA+ Reporting” was designed to improve media coverage of LGBTQIA+ issues through an inclusive and informed approach. The event aims to raise awareness among journalists about the importance of respectful and accurate language, providing them with tools to avoid stereotypes and misinformation. In particular, one session focused on laws regarding same-sex parenting and marriage equality, followed by a session on the use of language, and finally, a session dedicated to the role of the diversity editor in newsrooms. The methodology included interactive sessions with experts and case study discussions.
See the video
The course is organized by the Master in Journalism “Giorgio Bocca” at the University of Turin and Amapola. It is part of the European project “WHOs and HOWs: Countering Disinformation That Pushes Citizens Away from the European Project.” This project involves three European countries: Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy, all united by a low awareness of misinformation, distorted narratives, and fake news.
The project partners are as follows: Freedom House Romania (lead organization), The Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE), Group 4 Media Freedom and Democracy Association (G4 Media), Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD BG), and Amapola (Italy).”
PROGRAMMA
The course ‘Promoting Inclusivity: A Training Course for Journalists on LGBTQIA+ Reporting’ took place online on November 9, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The moderators:
- Cristina Massarente Amapola
- Valeria Ferraris University of Torino
The speakers:
- Pasquale Quaranta is a journalist and civil rights activist. He currently serves as the Diversity Editor at La Stampa. He has also held the position of Arcigay national councilor and served as the spokesperson for Salerno Pride in 2005.
- Maria Paola Mosca is a freelance journalist and translator with more than 15 years of experience in addressing diversity and gender equality issues. Since 2018, she has been a contributor to the blog “Alley Oop – L’altra metà del Sole,” which is featured on Il Sole 24 Ore. See PPT presentation
- Antonio Vercellone is an assistant professor of private law at the University of Torino. His research interests focus on new forms of property and new forms of families. He was visiting scholar at Yale law school (2022), where he carried out research on queer and functional parenthood. With Marco Pelissero, he edited the first Italian textbook on LGBTQI+ law.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
The course had 65 participants, including 36 women and 29 men, from four different countries. It received positive feedback, with participants appreciating the depth of the content. They recognized the importance of understanding legal issues related to LGBTQIA+ rights and the need for journalists to cover these topics accurately. Additionally, they acknowledged the crucial role of the diversity editor in ensuring that news and content reflect diverse perspectives and respect cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual diversity.
Many questions were raised about the pathways to introducing this role within media organizations.
Cofinanziato dall’Unione europea. I punti di vista e le opinioni espresse sono tuttavia esclusivamente quelli degli autori e non riflettono necessariamente quelli dell’Unione europea o dell’Agenzia esecutiva europea per l’istruzione e la cultura (EACEA). Né l’Unione Europea né l’autorità che concede il finanziamento possono essere ritenute responsabili.
