User:Sveta Kravchuk/sandbox

Starting with the very first edition of colonial print in North America, treatment of both males and females in newspapers has been evolving alongside with societal norms and pursuit of racial, as well as gender equality. Throughout a time period of the last three centuries, news for and about women developed from being absent, to underrepresented and finally to almost undistinguishable nowadays, as the published material addresses a reader in general and not a specific sex.

United States of America

As abolitionary movements against slavery were proved to be unsuccessful, women realised that their attempts were largely hindered by sex discrimination. In opposition, they claimed for equality with men and a right to vote. By the end of American Civil War, female activists named Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony entered the public sphere by publishing The Revolution in January, 1868. In 1869 it was followed by another suffrage newspaper, however less controversial, named Woman’s Journal launched by Lucy Stone and her wealthy husband. Prevention from publicising in the mainstream press, on contrary caused an appearance of at least another twelve similar papers, all edited by women. Unfortunately, they were still denied hearing in the dominant print media.

Canada

Meanwhile, a club named Toronto Women’s Literary Society was set up in November 1876. It became to be a central point for the development of the suffragettes’ movement. Similarly, as fellow American feminists, women of Toronto discovered that their benevolent efforts will not reach fulfillment, if they do not make their way to the ballot. Therefore, Toronto Women’s Literary Society became effectively renamed in 1883 to Toronto Women’s Suffrage Club. Being led by their founder, a pioneer — Dr. Emily Howard Jennings Stowe, the group reached a status of Dominion Women’s Enfranchisement Association. With enthusiasm fueled by Susan Anthony's visit, this association became increasingly involved in establishing their affiliates throughout Ontario and other provinces.
Fortunately, a considerable amount of Canadian press was in tune with the franchise movement. The Citizen of Ontario in 1881 was the very first newspaper in Canada to be supportive of the women’s suffrage. Other Toronto papers such as Globe and World not only provided coverage of the movement, but even printed favourable editorials. Toronto’s Sunday World, edited by Mrs. Flora McDonald Denison became of a great propaganda value. Additionally, a number of various papers throughout Canadian provinces brought in an immense contribution to the movement. However, if several English language papers did occasionally neglect the cause, mostly by being completely uninterested, French press was exceedingly hostile.
Interestingly, involvement of the newspaper media had an exceptional effect on the actual grant of franchisement. Eight provinces, which had active and positive press, already gave their women a right to vote by 1919, whereas, female islanders of Prince Edward and Newfoundland whose papers were indifferent to cover the feminist movement, gained suffrage only in 1922 and 1925, respectively. It is possible, that a great delay of enfranchisement in Quebec, is due to prominent antagonistic newspapers, such as L’Action CatholiqueFinally, the goal of Quebecois ladies was achieved in 1940.

Women's Pages and their Transformation

In the late 19th Century, Women’s Pages were introduced to print. They took form of a marketing device at the end of the newspaper, promoting feminine stereotypes of caring house-wives and mothers. Female opposition to such ‘prescription’ of news was clearly stated by the assistant managing editor of the Philadelphia North American Janet Stewart that “women will never have any intellect as long as they are herded off, as it were, on to the women’s pages. They will be forever kept at the same grade of intelligence. There is no more reason for this feature than there is for a men’s page. News belong to the people, not to a sex.” At the time of World War II, Women’s Pages were broadened with a better coverage of the Women’s Movement. This was due to the fact that more ladies were temporary hired by the newsrooms, whilst men went to war. As the earnest efforts of Second-Wave feminism began to meet success in 1970s , Women’s Pages experienced transformation. They were renamed into Lifestyle, View, Family pages, in order to avoid division of news by sex. These sections concentrated less on traditional ‘female’ contents, but more on entertainment and personality profiles, consequently leading to decline of newspaper readership amongst women.

Portrayal of Gender and Newsworthiness

Bernard Cohen asserted that “[ the press] may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about.” The subtleties of language can either empower or diminish someone’s image, role or action. Cohen’s study developed an assumption in the concept of agenda-setting, that what is emphasized in the news makes either individual importance or brings significance to the society absorbing the news. Whilst media provides its audience with a symbolic message of what reality is like, people construct their own images of reality. Supported by an analysis of 15 studies conducted between 1973 and 1988 on the way in which females are portrayed in newspapers, women found a consistent unequal treatment in the printed pages. This was due to the fact that their achievements were singled out in such a manner, that it was felt that girls or women almost overcame a handicap. Finally in 1974, at the time of successful second-wave feminist activities, McGraw-Hill Book Company Publications designed guidelines for their staff members and authors, in order to avoid stereotypes in covered material and present both sexes from the same perspective. Corresponding tendency was picked up by USA Style Guide.

Not only through text, but also through photos, underrepresentation of women unfortunately still creeps into newspapers of the late 20th Century and early 21st. As many issues which directly related to women were treated as second-tier, more focus was given to personal and physical attributes, rather than to professional ones. Additionally, it is argued that attention for newsworthiness is often achieved by the ‘First Woman’ status, victimisation, or situations which put females into negative light. Accordingly, a couple of recent examples can be viewed from newspapers such as Associated Press and Austin American-Statesman. Even though women in general are more often victims than perpetrators of sex crimes, a rare case provided a female to become a face of sex offenders in the mentioned above papers. Similarly, The New York Times Magazine had a photo of a woman, rather than of a man, to represent illegal immigration. Consequently, a female might be seen as a menace to the economy. Although, it is unlikely that contemporary newspapers purposefully give inadequate accounts of women, it is possible, that on a seldom occasion a journalist of any gender can unconsciously stumble upon a pitfall of a clichéd stereotype, which was carved into human mentality by past societal standards.

Decline in Readership and Measures that were Taken

As women’s pages saw transformation, newspapers began to feel a decline in female readership. Scripps Howard Newspapers', President Susan Miller mentions that North American newspaper content fails to address female interests. Similarly, Editor Bob Shaw indicates that abundance of traditional was not replaced with anything of substance. He states that editors were mistaken in their “assumption that women were shedding family life for careers.” In reality, Shaw said, women were “adding careers to family responsibilities”.
Throughout the history of press, women were highly outnumbered by men in positions and promotions they have taken in the industry. Canadian, as well as U.S. Content Initiatives include beliefs, that increase in female employees in the media might lead to a more balanced expression of female concerns, as well as elimination of unconscious gender assumptions from newsroom routines.

Today

Newspapers were not equally friendly, intelligent and respectful to both genders. However, are they now? Employment Equity Act of Canada attempts to accomplish equality in the workplace, by correcting the conditions of disadvantage in employment which were experienced by women. Therefore if more ladies are hired in the newsrooms, possibly the reader will be provided with a broader female perspective. However, despite of gender, any perspective is most likely to be subjective. Besides, the press nowadays strives to tighten the existing gap between their female and male audience. Specific advertisers whose products target mostly women, largely invest in print media which is catered to wealthy and educated female readers, whereas newspapers themselves alter their physical design, in order to become more appealing. Despite of glossy or non-glossy paper, women will still be interested in news, especially if newspapers will maintain their equal treatment of both sexes.