GETTING IT RIGHT

That moment tested objectivity in newsrooms in a very big way.

I remember a friend who was even more behind the scenes tweeted something and our standards and practices people told him to delete it. And the thing about it is even though it had more public support than ever, it was more controversial when it came to ethical standards. Take the recent exposé of nail salons as basically child labor mills for example. That never faced the same "objectivity standard."

In newsrooms, my sense is that we're a "pink ghetto" and it just doesn't translate with editors and queer stuff won't make the front page as much. But these are all subjective choices and top brass need to get over it.

What really sealed the deal for me in being against the idea that you can be objective was when we reported on Pulse. I reported it was a gay bar and my colleague had asked me, "Are you sure Pulse is a gay bar?" The Times and The Washington Post weren't saying anything about it being a gay bar so I freaked out. But I was right. I got that central detail before the Washington Post and the Times. That's fucked up. That's why you need more LGBTQ people in media.