Christina Buttons, an investigative reporter with The Daily Wire for the past six months, announced in a blog post titled “Why I’m Leaving the Daily Wire” that she has resigned.
She had been writing about transgender issues, specifically pediatric gender medicine. Still, she became disheartened by recent videos and posts that do not align with The Daily Wire’s original stance of safeguarding children and tolerance for alternative adult lifestyles.
“The political Right often rails against ‘identity politics’ and group labels, yet many fail to distinguish between transgender people and transgender activists,” she said. “Not all transgender people are transgender activists, and in fact, many—especially of the older generation—find the extremism of contemporary trans activism appalling.”
She said she took issue with the extremist rhetoric of Matt Walsh, who has defended his inflammatory comments as an excellent strategy to rally the conservative base, and Michael Knowles, who made a controversial statement at CPAC that transgenderism needs to be “eradicated from public life”. Buttons argue that it is essential to distinguish between transgender people and transgender activists, as not all are the same.
“As a journalist, I have to believe there are reachable centrists, including moderate liberals, who are uncomfortable with gender ideology but who have been insulated from serious coverage of this medical scandal,” she added.
She notes that transgender identities are not always fixed and that what she calls “de-transitioners” will need support, especially in the face of attacks from their former community. Finally, she calls for a more compassionate approach to those struggling with gender issues, as inflammatory statements only alienate those in the middle.
“Many wonderful journalists at this organization continue to do stellar work, and I hold no animosity toward any of them. But when my employer can no longer make good on the promise I was given at the start of my employment, my only recourse is to resign,” Buttons said.
