You may have noticed a wave of rainbow-tinted profile pictures on social media in the past two weeks, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on June 26 legalizing same-sex marriage in the States.
Among the many people going technicolour were a number of reporters and editors, including myself.
In the past, I have been fanatically careful about not sharing my opinions publicly, to avoid even the hint of perceived bias when it comes to my reporting. I never sign petitions. Every year I hem and haw over whether wearing a poppy is a political statement or a sign of support for veterans. Talk to me at a party and you’ll find I can be frustratingly tight-lipped, refusing to weigh in on local issues.
But social media has changed the situation. It’s no longer as simple as reporters not putting election signs on their lawns. We have a melding of public and personal personas happening online, and it is something each of us is trying to figure out how to handle.
One of the beliefs I do share publicly is that it is important for reporters to maintain ethical standards, to strive for objectivity and balance in their reporting. I try to stay very aware of any personal biases or blind spots I might have. I sometimes go overboard, trying to make sure I’m fair when reporting on something about which I feel strongly.
There are many reasons readers may feel a reporter is biased in their reporting, and often it is because of the way the reporter has presented themselves. Not only do we have to manage our own biases, we have to constantly contend with the perceived biases people assume we have.
But human rights are not a blind spot, and staying publicly silent about other people’s rights – especially those who have been silenced in the past – is not the way to maintain objectivity on the page.
When I chose to put a rainbow filter on my profile picture on Facebook, I did so to acknowledge that a group of marginalized people were finally receiving the same rights as others in their country. That is no small thing, and in a time when newspapers are filled with some of the ugliest things humans are capable of doing to each other over their perceived differences (such as the shooting in Charleston, South Carolina), I think it is especially important to note humanity’s successes and moments of hope.
As a bisexual woman, I also felt it was important personally to celebrate the rights of people within the LGBTQ+ community. I use my Facebook profile to stay connected to family and friends as well as sources (a difficult balancing act). I post about comics, gardening, my family – why wouldn’t I include something as important as people like me finally having the right to marry the person they love, regardless of gender?
I won’t tell you how I think you should vote in the next election. I won’t editorialize when I cover issues – including those important to me personally – for the Burnaby NOW. And I won’t sign your petition, especially if it has anything to do with the issues I cover.
But I also won’t hide who I am. I will celebrate when human rights trump bigotry. And I’ll probably wear a poppy next year, too (for the 11 seconds it typically takes before I lose it).
