Let’s Get Political

It’s one of the most covered news topics in journalism: politics. In 2020, nearly one out of four news stories was about political matters.
 
Although it might feel like we’ve reached an advanced stage of awareness towards sexist pitfalls, gender bias is still deeply rooted in political news, and it doesn’t always show blatantly. It can be a seemingly innocent adjective, a piece of information we believe fleshes out a story, or even a certain sense of logic that is unnoticeably based on stereotypes. But even subtleties can prevent women’s political ambitions from ever really forming.
 
In May, we’re focusing on how women in politics are portrayed in the news.
 

(Photo by Flore W / Pixabay)

Latest Posts

Untold Stories

View all

Health Systems Risk Reaching a Breaking Point: What’s Gender Got to Do with It?

 

Pre-pandemic, the World Health Organization expected a global shortage of at least 18 million health care workers by 2030. With 70% of the current global workforce made up of women, solving this crisis seems to be very much a gender issue.

Lisa Falco on the Gender Data Gap, Health, and AI Bias

 

The Swiss data scientist has been working on healthcare technology for a decade and a half. In this discussion with her, we covered the basics — from what data actually is to why it’s so important — before getting into the specifics of the gender data gap in medicine and in tech.

Sophie Knowles

Gender in Economic News: How We Can Help Close the Gap(s)

 

Researcher and senior lecturer Sophie Knowles specializes in economic journalism. Amid several projects on how economics, news and gender intersect, she discusses why the economy is one of the less inclusive beats and what journalists and media organizations can actively do about it.

Data & Studies

View all
20% of subjects and sources in political news in 2020 across 116 countries were women

Women in Politics: Does the News Perpetuate Misrepresentation?

 

Since 1995, there has been a growing number of women running for office, getting elected or designated as representatives. Let’s take a look at how the representation of women in politics and in political news evolved over the years.

Data on Women Is Missing... Here’s Some Data About It

 

There are many gender gaps in the world we live in, and one of them has to do with data. The gender data gap not only exists, but it also feeds and deepens other gaps. Here are some initiatives trying to track it where it happens and hopefully minimize it.

What Happens When Women Are Included in Peace Processes?

 

Women are often forgotten or excluded from decision-making spaces. Yet when they are present, it does make a difference. The proof is in the data.

In the Newsroom

View all

Pamela Morinière on the IFJ’s Response to Sexism in Political News

 

The International Federation of Journalists’ gender expert tells us about the specifics of their new project “Rewriting the story: Gender, media and politics,” what sexist question a famous German politician was asked that shocked her the most, and how she sees the future of gender equality in the news.

Ed Yong on Gender Bias and the Need for More Diversity in Health Reporting

 

The award-winning science journalist and author tells about the steps he’s taken to make his stories more inclusive, and how that fundamentally changed his reporting over the past eight years. He also shares some of what he has learned telling the stories of women amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Behind the News, with Francesca Donner, Mariya Shahsawar, Pamela Morinière and Haanya Malik

2022: A Turning Point for Women in the News?

 

Afghan reporters Mariya Shahsawar and Haanya Malik, US-based editor Francesca Donner, and French gender expert on media and head of Communications at the International Federation of Journalists Pamela Morinière reflect on the past year and what it means for the future of journalism.

Newsletter

Looking at news through a gender lens, twice a month in your inbox.

Partners and fact-checkers

We work with partners and fact-checkers to review the accuracy of our stories.