The New York Times Faces Backlash Over Father’s Day Essay
The New York Times has come under fire following a Father’s Day guest essay discussing transgender parents, specifically focusing on “trans dads.” The piece, titled “My gender was never complicated for my daughter,” was published on Sunday and features a cartoon format. Written by Zach Ellams, who identifies as a transgender man, it recounts Ellams’ experiences raising a daughter while exploring questions around gender identity.
Some illustrations in the essay show children asking straightforward questions that arise in daily life. In one scene, for instance, the daughter inquires, “Dad, when did you have breasts?” as they stroll together. In another scene at a pool, a child asks, “If you were a woman, how did you grow a mustache?” Additionally, a panel illustrates her daughter expressing a desire to grow a beard, to which another child responds, “You shouldn’t grow a beard; you’re a girl.” The daughter counters, “So was my father, and he was a girl.”
The essay conveys that children can readily accept Ellams’ gender identity, which seems to allow the author to embrace their true self. However, many critics have taken issue with the timing of the publication, especially on Father’s Day.
Podcaster Katie Miller commented critically on social media: “The New York Times published a cartoon about being a transgender father on Father’s Day. This is how they envision corrupting our children.” Sean Davis, co-founder of The Federalist, similarly accused the paper of trivializing fatherhood, stating that they were honoring “dressing up dads” as the true essence of fatherhood.
Davis added, “The New York Times celebrated Father’s Day by honoring some true heroes: left-wing gender goblins who believe that mentally ill women who mutilate themselves, mainstream hormone injections, and dress up as dads are the embodiment of true fatherhood.” Meanwhile, comments from Seth Dillon of the Babylon Bee suggested that the Times was highlighting gender confusion on what should be a day celebrating real fathers. Tim Young, a media fellow, echoed this sentiment, criticizing the essay’s implications.
This controversy unfolded coincidentally with former President Donald Trump criticizing the New York Times, calling their reporting on Iran “treasonous” and signaling his intent to include false reporting in a lawsuit against the outlet.
The backlash adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding the Times, including earlier criticism of an opinion column by Nicholas Kristoff that drew condemnation both from critics and the Israeli government.
