CBS News has quietly revised its newsroom language guidance on transgender issues, a move media observers say reflects the continued rightward shift of legacy U.S. news outlets. The updated guidance directs reporters to use the phrase “biological sex at birth” when covering transgender athletes and related legal disputes, replacing language previously aligned with recommendations from transgender journalism organizations.
The change was issued internally by Tom Burke, senior director of standards and practices at CBS News. The guidance instructs staff to apply the terminology without quotation marks in stories related to Supreme Court cases examining state bans on transgender girls and women participating in school sports. Journalism and advocacy groups have long argued that the phrase is often deployed politically rather than medically and can reinforce misleading narratives about transgender people.
The timing of the update has drawn attention within media circles. In late 2025, CBS News underwent leadership changes that critics say signaled a recalibration of editorial priorities. Those changes followed internal restructuring and staff departures, with the network facing pressure from declining ratings and a fragmented media landscape increasingly shaped by ideological positioning.
CBS has not publicly commented on the updated guidance. However, reporting by media trade outlets indicates the change is already visible in coverage of current Supreme Court cases involving transgender athlete bans in states such as Idaho and West Virginia. Recent reporting has adopted the revised language even as legal scholars and civil rights groups warn that terminology choices influence how audiences understand both the law and the people affected by it.
The Supreme Court cases themselves have become focal points in broader political debates over transgender inclusion in public life. States defending the bans argue they are necessary to preserve fairness in women’s sports, while transgender athletes and their supporters maintain the laws violate constitutional protections and federal civil rights statutes. Media framing plays a central role in shaping public perception of those arguments.
Media analysts tracking coverage of transgender issues note that CBS is not alone. Across broadcast and print outlets, newsroom language has increasingly mirrored conservative political framing, particularly on topics involving sports and healthcare. Critics argue these shifts are often justified internally as neutrality while disproportionately echoing language used by anti-trans lawmakers and advocacy groups.
For transgender advocates, the concern extends beyond style guides. They argue that editorial decisions made inside newsrooms help determine which narratives gain legitimacy and which voices are marginalized. As major media organizations continue adjusting their standards, advocates warn that the cumulative effect may normalize rhetoric that undermines transgender people’s dignity, safety, and access to equal rights.
