Oftentimes, it is hard to find a representation of marginalized groups in the news we see and hear every day. The regular news cycle usually just provides the news through a lens that they feel is palatable for their audience. It is sometimes hard to find articles that are specifically addressing the problems you are facing. As a woman, I often have a hard time finding news that addresses my particular concerns and issues. I’ve comprised a small list of some news outlets that produce articles through a gender lens.
- The 19th
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The 19th’s website launched recently, after the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which made voting a right to anyone, regardless of gender. However, after the ratification of the 19th amendment, women still face voter suppression to this day. Transgender women are also suppressed from the right to vote. The 19th’s “goal is to empower those we serve – particularly women, people of color, and those historically underserved by American media – with the information, resources, and community they need to be equal participants in our democracy.” The 19th is a non-profit and nonpartisan newsroom that strives to report with empathy for a diverse audience.
- The New York Times- Women and Girls
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The New York Times has a section of articles all on the topic of “Women and Girls.” Here you will find a diverse range of topics focusing on women, from politics to culture based pieces. The New York Times also offers a newsletter called “In Her Words,” where “Women rule the headline.” You can sign up for this newsletter to get news about you sent to your email every week.
- Teen Vogue
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Teen Vogue is a great platform that promotes Gen Z voices and intersectionality. On their website, the platform is described as “the young person’s guide to saving the world.” A lot of the time, Gen Z issues are not discussed on news platforms, but Teen Vogue truly encourages young voices to speak out, especially on women based topics. The audience highlights show that women from the ages of 18-24 are 3.4 times more likely to be reading their articles. There is an “Identity” section that really highlights the diversity of their articles.
- Refinery29
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Refinery29 is a media and entertainment company that focuses on women. They highlight that they tell interesting and diverse stories and always take on initiatives that help women reach more opportunities. On their about page, they describe themselves as: “We celebrate imperfections, banish taboos, and always strive to be real and relatable — walking the walk in all that we do.” They have such a wide array of topics, from reproductive rights, identity, motherhood, to body positivity.
It is incredibly important that women read news that is centered on them and also written by women. According to the World Economic Forum, as of 2015, only 24% of news sources are women. Also, women are shown to be primarily covering stories on personal experience and popular opinion, which are the least covered news topics, unlike politics and health and science, which are dominated by male reporters, and they’re the most covered topics. Women are underrepresented in our daily news cycles, which means we are constantly reading news that isn’t tailored toward women at all. By reading and subscribing to more news and newsletters that are written by women and for women, we will gain a better understanding of the world and our reality.