What the Media Gets Wrong About Sharks and Trans People

What do sharks and transgender people have in common? No, it’s not just an iconic blue, pink, and white colorway. Both are depicted as dangerous predators in the mainstream media, despite ample evidence to the contrary. This manufactured monstrousness becomes a catalyst and justification for violence, and the pretext for the dismantling of legal protections. It’s also representative of a larger problem plaguing the United States right now – an absolute epidemic of misinformation and disinformation.

While misinformation and disinformation can both result in negative consequences, the distinction between the two matters, and sharks and transgender people can help us understand this crucial difference. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information, but importantly, it is typically a mistake or shared without a motive for a particular outcome. Disinformation is false information that is deliberately intended to mislead. 

Sharks are first and foremost victims of misinformation, though they can be the target of disinformation as well. A 2023 episode of the Issues in Science and Technology podcast discusses this issue in more detail. One of the biggest culprits of spreading both mis- and disinformation about sharks is the Discovery Channel’s popular annual Shark Week television event. To capture viewers, Shark Week programming follows the evergreen adage coined by William Randolph Hearst in 1890, “If it bleeds, it leads.” That is to say, though the programming packages themselves are educational, scientific documentaries, in fact, their purpose is entertainment, and editing choices are made accordingly.

Examples of misinformation in Shark Week programming include things like an overrepresentation of white men (who are not shark researchers to boot) starring in the programming, creating the false impression that not many women are shark experts. In fact, as one shark scientist reported, nearly 60% of graduate students in the field are women. Another example is that the focus on the larger, more predatory sharks creates the impression that sharks are dangerous and you could be attacked at any moment within the ocean. In fact, shark attacks are exceedingly rare and are even decreasing in recent years.

The most egregious example of disinformation, however, is illustrated by the controversy surrounding the Megalodon: The Monster Shark that Lives film released during the 2013 Shark Week. The problem with the documentary is revealed in its very title– the megalodon has been extinct for millions of years. The title drew viewers in with an expectation that experts would be looking for evidence that these creatures still exist and may be a threat to humans. And no evidence refuting this possibility was presented. These were deliberate choices made by producers because they knew that a hint of a possible oversized killer would draw in viewers far more effectively than a discussion of a long-extinct ocean creature. 

The impact of all of these choices to privilege entertainment over a more boring truth is that the general public vastly overestimates the threat sharks pose, and genuine conservation efforts are undermined. Many shark species are facing significant population decline and are in need of serious conservation efforts to avoid disrupting the ocean’s ecosystems.

The transgender community on the other hand, has specifically been the target of disinformation spread by right-wing organizations and individuals who are seeking to implement a (white) Christian Nationalist agenda. Donald Trump’s second term as president has already been marked by a number of executive actions and policies targeting transgender and LGTBQIA+ people, though disinformation attacking these communities dates back to well before his inauguration. Nevertheless, it is not an understatement to say that recent years have seen an increase in anti-trans legislation based on scientific disinformation.

A few examples of pernicious falsehoods being peddled by the anti-trans movement include the idea that gender is an ideology rather than an innate identity, that LGTBQIA+ people are groomers and pose a threat to children, that there is an increase is terrorism being committed by transgender people, and more. In fact, before the United States government scrubbed the webpage from existence for revealing an inconvenient truth, a report published by the National Institute of Justice demonstrated in no uncertain terms that far-right extremists have killed more Americans than any other domestic terrorist group. Yet, as a result of this type of disinformation, 19 states have enacted restrictions on what bathrooms transgender people may use.

These same 19 states have also used scientific disinformation as a basis for passing laws that restrict gender-affirming care. False claims about the legitimacy of gender-affirming care include the thoroughly debunked notion that gender dysphoria is a mental health issue that should be treated via therapy (especially harmful here is religious right-wing support for conversion therapy), that people who transition will experience regret and detransition, or that there is no evidence of the benefits of gender-affirming care, and lies about safety and standard of care, among others.

The sheer volume of disinformation being spread about the transgender community and resulting harmful legislation (to say nothing of extralegal discrimination and violence) can be overwhelming. One result of these pervasive attacks and discrimination is an increase in suicide risk by transgender and gender non-conforming teenagers. It is critical that something be done to push back against this flood of cruelty and lies. While a 2024 article about the role of disinformation in gender-affirming care bans offers some strategies for experts and leaders in the medical and legal professions, for the average citizen the most powerful tool in their arsenal is to support and vote for leaders who are vocal in their support for the transgender community and to push back against blatant disinformation being peddled in their social circles. They can also choose to engage with and support organizations that advocate for transgender and LGTBQIA+ rights such as Elevated Access or The Trevor Project.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” so we must all work together to push back against disinformation and misinformation, whether it’s against transgender people, immigrants, or even sharks. Being careful consumers of information allows us to make better choices at the ballot box and create a better world together. 

To learn more about Dylan's platform regarding the transgender community and protecting trans rights, click here.