Fact check: Satirical headline about misgendering Nashville shooter spreads online

BrieAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY
·2 min read
3

The claim: A headline says 'misgendering the Nashville shooter dishonors the memory of his victims'

A March 29 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of a headline about the perpetrator of a March 27 shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Misgendering the Nashville shooter dishonors the memory of his victims," reads the headline.

The post was shared more than 30 times in less than a week. Another version of the claim was shared more than 500 times on Twitter.

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Our rating: Satire

The website that published the article is a satirical outlet with the stated goal of mocking journalists.

Satirical website has stated goal of mocking journalists

Police identified the attacker as Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a transgender man who was assigned female at birth, as reported by USA TODAY.

The article in the screenshot originated on Cinch News, which says its content is not meant to be taken as fact, though many online users shared the screenshot believing it to be a serious story.

"Cinch News is a satirical publication that mocks modern journalists who fail to use common sense journalist integrity, outlined by the SPJ Code of Ethics," reads a line on the website.

The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics lists various guidelines for journalists, including verifying information before reporting it, holding people in positions of power accountable and avoiding real or perceived conflicts of interest.

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The full article includes sarcastic lines, such as the assertion that it is "more harmful than helpful to deliberately disregard Hale's feelings" and "we also need to make sure we are being respectful of Hale who is also dead."

The Cinch News website says it is a brand of Globe Media Holdings, which is similarly satirical in nature.

"Our brands are inflammatory and unhinged but that's only because we are trying to further our Democratic agenda," reads the Globe website's homepage. "I mean – the Republicans – yes, the Republicans are the ones to look out for."

Deadly shooting at Nashville elementary school
Deadly shooting at Nashville elementary school

USA TODAY has debunked various claims about the Nashville shooting, including that an image showed Hale's bedroom, the attack was a false flag operation and the shooter's name was Samantha Hyde.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Satirical headline about Nashville shooter goes viral