*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 10:30 p.m. (PST) Thursday, Nov. 24, was titled “Battle looming over payday loan restrictions.” Its subject was a struggle over how much can interest can be charged for short-term payday loans in Missouri.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Male
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
- Female, policy and development organizer for a pro-initiative group
- Female, state organizer
- Male, executive director of trade association
Notes/analysis: Prior to the first quoted source, three people are mentioned who could not be reached or declined to comment, including a male political consultant, male founder of opposing non-profit, and an unknown treasurer of committee receiving funds.
Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:30 p.m. (PST) Thursday, Nov. 24 was titled “Back to the spillway: Getting the harvest in.” Its subject was harvest time for farmers whose land was part of the floodway impacted by a decision to breach the levee to alleviate flooding along the Mississippi River in May.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Female
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
- Male, farmer
- Male, regional agronomist
- Male, attorney representing property owners