AL(dot)com endeavor Reckon News’ demise was recently broadcasted over X by several now former employees, with one writing, “today @reckonnews shut down, marking an end to my two years at the newsroom. as one of the very few trans women of color covering LGBTQ politics at a national level—especially rampant anti-trans legislation, i stand by my work with a great deal of reverence (sic)."
"I've extensively reported on right-wing rhetoric and legislative efforts to ban gender-affirming care, criticism of the biden administration, the crux between LGBTQ justice & pro-palestine solidarity, all while prioritizing midwest & southern states,” the employee added.
A second reporter also posted, “And just like that… I faced my first media layoff. Yesterday was my last day as Reproductive Justice reporter at @reckonnews. It’s been a TIME to say the least. Not sure what’s next for me but open to job leads & freelance pitches.”
The post immediately following the news she was laid off was to repost a message saying, “if you're feeling left out, you can fund someone's abortion :)” with a link to a site that connects women wanting abortions with providers and funds the logistics and procedure costs.
A recent story included warnings about Project 2025 with a think piece called, “How are we getting our birth control in 2025?” Another recent article was “What’s next for Black women in Trump’s America?” in which the following exchange took place,
Reckon: In your eyes, what does a Trump presidency mean for Black women and Black people who can become pregnant over the next four years?
MAI: The first thing that comes to mind is how are we caring for each other? What do our care networks look like in the face of Trump, or Project 2025 or whatever ever may happen. Babies will need to be born. Pregnancies will need to end, and that’s just a fact of life. So what are we doing to make sure that happens? How are we plugged in?
GH: I think we all know the truth is that we’re going to see and experience more chaos. We’re going to see an influx of attacks, whether that’s physical, whether that’s verbal, or even what Congresswoman Cori Bush said in our final episode, policy violence.
There was also an angry tirade on, “Why queer activists and leaders are calling out major LGBTQ orgs for their silence on Gaza,” which featured an image that featured the words “Queers for Palestine.”
According to the About Us page, “At Reckon, we believe we can best report on our nation—not by observing it from the sidelines—but by living in it day by day. Born out of the South and grounded in communities who have been marginalized, underestimated, and undervalued, we live our nation’s issues up close and intimately.”
“That’s why people are at the center of our stories on climate justice, reproductive rights, faith and purity culture, working mothers and families, queerness and trans rights, Blackness, racial justice, movements and more," the description reads.
Reckon’s stories were built around the same messaging voters rejected this last election cycle. The Hill ran a column titled “Voters rejected a ‘woke’ America—time for Democrats to listen and learn.” Jeremy Peters, a national reporter for the newspaper, wrote a story titled “In Shift from 2020, Identity Politics Loses Its Grip on the Country.”
According to Reckon's About Us:
What Reckon does
We share stories by, for, from and about the full breadth of cultures, experiences and perspectives across the nation.
We put the tough questions on the table and invite our readers to think them through.
We push against simplistic, narrow narratives and embrace the nuance and intersectionality of people. We reject either/or propositions.
We help our readers develop a point of view on what they think so they feel equipped to take action.
We don’t break news the fastest and we don’t report for officials and those who don’t accept some fundamental truths.
Apryl Marie Fogel is a Birmingham resident who frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state. She can be reached at aprylmarie.fogel@1819news.com or on X and Facebook at @aprylmarie.
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