As A Matter of Fact, I Am A Woman: The Gender Disparity in Journalism

Abstract

Women in the field of journalism have been oppressed for decades. There was even a time in history when women were unable to work in journalism fields all around the world. This ties directly in with the old mindset that women should not have an opinion, and should strictly stay home as a mother and housewife. As times began to change, however, women broke into the business, but it was no easy feat. The first female journalists at newspapers often had to deal with being the only female in the newsroom. They were doubted, undermined, and never given the "hard" stories like their male counterparts. Many women were even shunned to the "women's section" of the newspaper, which has many different opinions from those who experienced it. Many women saw this section as oppressive and limiting, while others saw it as a chance to give women their own voice and develop a publication created strictly by women. Even female journalists who had the chance to cover a topic such as politics were assigned to report about the First Lady. This is another example of a double-edged sword. In some ways it was restrictive to not be able to cover the actual politics, but in another sense, it was a chance to showcase the great things women were doing.