Incorporating Gender into Journalism: A Crucial Responsibility
Journalism has the power to shape the way we perceive the world and the issues that affect society. To truly reflect the world we live in, it is imperative that journalists make gender a fundamental part of every report and story. Women comprise at least half of the population of the world, and due to expanding rights throughout, women’s influence in society has become more significant. Despite this, many journalists and news outlets are falling short in representing and hearing women's voices. How can journalists push against this problem?
One effective way to incorporate gender into every story is to change the lens through which stories are viewed. In some newsrooms, leaders have set up committees to address the historical lack of inclusive coverage. However, in smaller newsrooms, the issue feels more complicated. However, adopting a gender lens is possible and can result in more comprehensive and representative reporting. It involves examining who is most impacted by an issue. “The idea is to push not only to have more women in positions of authority,” said Catherine Gicheru, a Knight Fellow for the International Center For Journalists (ICFJ), “but actually making a change in how we look at things.” Neglecting this aspect means losing sight of the essential nuances within these stories.
Gicheru's initiative, the African Women Journalism Project, brings together women journalists and data analysts from seven countries to produce data-driven coverage of underreported health, gender, and economic issues. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing the unique experiences and challenges that women face in various contexts. “When you treat gender journalism not as sort of frivolous or, you know, ‘women’s issues,’ which could be in Cosmo magazine, but actually as serious reporting issues, if you report them that way, then your policymakers are held to account on those issues and have to speak to them,” Eliza Anyangwe, managing editor for CNN’s “As Equals,” a gender equality reporting team, said.
Journalists are typically trained to cover exceptional events, which often results in the neglect of everyday issues related to gender. This oversight can lead to the normalization of daily violence and discrimination, making it appear too common to report on. Anyangwe stressed the need for rigorous journalism in gender reporting.
Journalists should delve into topics like the funding of far-right campaigns that exploit gender divisions and cultural warfare. They should also highlight efforts to dismantle comprehensive sex education and expose coordinated online violence aimed at silencing women and nonbinary voices. Treating gender journalism as a serious and substantial reporting issue holds policymakers accountable and compels them to address these concerns.
Source and byline audits are also valuable tools that signal to newsroom staff what matters to the organization. They encourage editors to include a diversity of voices in their coverage. These audits are essential in ensuring that the reporting is representative, addressing a wide range of perspectives, and reflecting the issues that matter to a diverse audience.
Now to the elephant in the room: online violence against women journalists is a growing global concern. Women who cover gender issues are particularly vulnerable to coordinated online violence campaigns aimed at silencing them. “You need to be able to know how to take care of yourself online,” Gicheru said. “You need to figure out what are the best ways to deal with those kinds of challenges with the limitations of your community, your society and your space, and look for solidarity across the different countries.” she said. “Really be mindful, be cautious, and take those precautions that you need to.” Resources like the Coalition Against Online Violence provide essential guidance and support. Journalists must learn how to navigate the challenges they face online while considering the limitations of their community, society, and space. Solidarity across different countries is crucial in confronting online violence effectively.
Making a case for better and expanded gender coverage in newsrooms can be challenging, despite its clear necessity. “If you’re not going to be motivated by your journalistic responsibility,” Gicheru said of newsrooms, “think about your survival.” Small newsrooms are closing at a rate of two per week; while inclusive reporting alone may not be enough to sustain a struggling newsroom, it could be steps to getting on the right path.
Incorporating gender into every journalistic report and story is not only an ethical obligation but also a means to enrich reporting and reflect the reality of the world we live in. Journalists have the power to influence public perception, shape policy, and inspire change. It is their responsibility to attempt to make the stories they tell inclusive, diverse, and reflective of the entire spectrum of human experience.
