*Gender Checks are quick examinations of gender representation in individual news articles for the purpose of discovering trends over time. Click here to read more.
Website: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (stltoday.com)

On Stltoday.com, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 9:40 a.m. (PDT) Thursday, Oct. 13, was titled “Missouri legislators pledge to push child care safety.” Its subject was a pledge by legislators to put two child care safety measures up in the next session.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Female
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
- Male, state senator (R)
- Female, state representative (D)
- Male, governor
- Female, former state representative (R)
- Male, state representative (R)
- Female, chief executive officer of Child Care Aware of Missouri
Notes/analysis: The article notes that this response came after a series by the Post-Dispatch that “detailed 45 mostly preventable deaths in Missouri child care facilities from 2007 through 2010.” That series is called “Deadly Day Cares.”
Website: St. Louis Beacon
On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 9:40 a.m. (PDT) Thursday, Oct. 13, was titled “Internship program helps introduce high school students to world of work.” It was a feature on an internship program that is getting ready to celebrate 20 years.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Male
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
- Male, lawyer (program’s inspiration)
- Female, program director
- Female, junior (participant)
- Male, with company involved with the program
Notes/analysis: Article includes two mugshots, both of the story’s female sources.