Monitor grapples with gender balance in sourcing
Women have a lot to say – across business, politics, economics, education – you name it. But are their voices always heard?
Former Monitor correspondent Julia Malone (l.) interviews Sen. Alan Simpson (R) of Wyoming and Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (D) of New York in 1983.
Norman Matheny/Staff/File
Journalism is built on sources. Reporters count on experts and ordinary citizens to bring nuance and humanity to news events. The sources that reporters select shape the tone and direction of a story.
At the Monitor, we take care to select sources who help move discussions forward rather than further polarize issues. We put careful thought into the political and ideological spectrum represented in each story. Lately, we have been thinking about another kind of balance in sourcing: gender balance.
Women have a lot to say – across business, politics, economics, education – you name it. But are their voices always heard?
We decided to check ourselves on how well we were listening when it came to our own reporting. It turns out that for every 2 women quoted in January 2018, 3 men were featured. These findings suggest we may be reflecting societal disparities in our pages. So we’re trying to pay more attention to making sure both men's and women's voices are being heard.
We’re not interested in setting quotas, but we think we can be more intentional about giving voice to the many thoughtful and qualified women who may not be immediately visible.
Our role as journalists is not to correct societal biases, but we can make an effort to avoid perpetuating them. We see that as a worthwhile part of our mission to “bless all mankind.”