National Review, which mockingly assigned the state of Michigan they/them pronouns in its headline, did even less to engage with the text of the bill, quoting only the terrorized, frightened, or threatened portion of the definition.
Newsweek declared that the law probably is unconstitutional in a headline, cherry-picking from a source in the body of the article. A thorough read reveals that the source, Georgia State University law professor Eric J. Segall, explained that his assessment of the pending laws constitutionality depends on a specific hypothetical interpretation and application of it, and that he personally believed the law should be constitutional.
Newsweek also found a way to work trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney into its coverage of the bill.
Sinclair Broadcast Group conducted a poll using the misguided framing through its weekday program, The National Desk, which syndicated the results to the websites of local outlets owned by the organization throughout the country.
And The Daily Callers Chrissy Clark published an editorial bizarrely fantasizing about using the law to target unhoused people, whom she described as terrorizing, frightening and occasionally threatening.
As The Detroit News pointed out, conservative outlets peddling misinformation ignored or dismissed a key part of the bills definition of intimidation: that it does not apply to constitutionally protected activity.
"People can say whatever they want, that 'I feel frightened because somebody misgendered me.' But that's not going to cut it for purposes of this bill, a Democratic prosecutor in the state told the outlet.
This manufactured controversy is nothing new for right-wing media. Canadian psychologist and Daily Wire host Jordan Peterson captured media attention in 2016 when he made similar allegations about Canadian bill C-16. The subsequent law added gender identity or expression to other preexisting anti-discrimination protections, including in the criminal code. As a result, Peterson incorrectly alleged someone could see jail time for misgendering a trans person.
He has since stepped down from his position at the University of Toronto and could potentially lose his license to practice psychology.
More:
Right-wing media spread misinformation on proposed Michigan ... - Media Matters for America