A British coroner has criticized the press for “salacious” coverage of a transgender teacher who later killed herself.
Coroner Michael Singleton says the British press displayed ignorance and bigotry in covering the case of a man who went through a transition to become a woman, shortly before committing suicide in March.
The teacher’s pupils had been told they should refer to her as Lucy Meadows after she returned to school.
The case generated national news coverage after some parents raised questions. Singleton said the coverage had been inflammatory, and he singled out the Daily Mail. He urged the government to adopt the recommendations of a recent inquiry into press wrongdoings.
A spokesman for the Daily Mail said Wednesday that Meadows’ suicide note did not mention press coverage as a factor.
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