The center-left is abandoning trans people, under the belief that it will inoculate them against right wing attacks. It began with commentators doing the "well I'm pro trans but..." line-toeing, and now it's progressed to full blown transphobic fear mongering.

Calling the uncritical repeating of an unofficial claim made by the very people perpetuating a negative stereotype "careless" or even "negligent" is massively underselling what happened here. WSJ heard a rumor, saw money signs because they know conservatives are looking to scapegoat trans people, and fired it off. This wasn't carelessness, it was opportunistic fear mongering for clicks.