Gender Checks

Gender check: 3/3/11 – Midwest

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

*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 2:45 p.m. (MST) Thursday, March 3, was titled “Jury finds Shepard guilty after he confesses killing University City police sergeant.” Its subject was a man, who the article describes as “mixed race but considers himself black,” being found guilty by a jury after admitting to killing a white police officer, partly as retribution for the shooting of his girlfriend, also black, by a different white police officer who was later cleared in the incident.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, suspect

2. Male, judge

3. Male, prosecutor


Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 2:45 p.m. (MST) Thursday, March 3, was titled “29,000 answers, one question: How do cities grow?.” Its subject was a look at a population loss of 29,000 people over the course of a decade in St. Louis and what that says about the city and its future.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, resident, talk show host

2. Male, alderman

3. Female, press secretary for mayor

4. Male, director of research

5. Male, executive director of restoration group

6. Male, new arrival

7. Female, new arrival (married to above, moved due to her job)

8. Female, new arrival

9. Male, alderman

10. Male, alderman

11. Male, alderman

12. Female, resident, formerly did city planning work

Notes/analysis: The City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen is composed of 28 ward representatives, eight of which are female.

Gender Check 3/2/11 Northeast

Joy BaconLeave a comment
*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: The New York Times

On The New York Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8 p.m. EST on March 2 was titled “Justices Rule For Protestors At Military Funerals. ” Its subject was the Supreme Court’s decision 8-1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist church’s right to free speech under the First Amendment.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – chief justice of the Supreme Court (as quoted from the majority opinion)

2. Male – justice of the Supreme Court (as quoted from the dissent)

3. Male – justice of the Supreme Court (as quoted from the concurring opinion)

Notes/analysis: None of the quotes used in the story came from interviews, but rather the written rulings in the case. Currently three of the nine justices are women.

Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8 p.m. EST on March 2 was titled “A Test Where The Banks Had The Questions And The Answers.” Its subject was the upcoming tests for banks by the Federal Reserve and possible problems with the current way banks are evaluated.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – national bank executive

2. Male -national bank executive

3. Male – wealthy citizen

4. Male – financial analyst

5. Male – member of Congressional oversight panel

6. Male – law professor

Notes/analysis: It’s not surprising that a story focusing on financial systems and banking executives is dominated, exclusively, by male sources.

Gender check: 3/1/11 – West

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

*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: Seattle Times

On the Seattle Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 2:30 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, March 1, was titled “State’s monthly job results good, as unemployment drops.” Its subject was the drop in unemployment and strongest monthly job picture in three years.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, chief economist

2. Male, spokesman

Notes/analysis: The article was mostly recently released numbers from the Employment Security Department.


Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 2:30 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, March 1, was titled “Report: Early warnings kept from Seattle School Board.” Its subject was a look at who had knowledge of a report that warned of a billing scandal in a small business contracting program for the school district based on information revealed through internal documents that were recently released.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, former director of facilities (from note)

2. Female, former prosecutor (from report she prepared)

3. Male, accountant

4. Male, former employee, subject of issue (in e-mail)

Notes/analysis: Most sources were referenced from documents they had written that were recently released such as a report, e-mails and notes. At the center of the issue are a male employee and a male supervisor of that employee. Also now in question is the female schools superintendent.

Gender Check: 2/25/11 South

Joy BaconLeave a comment
*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: The Miami Herald

On the Miami Herald, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday, Feb. 25 was titled “Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez Loses Court Challenge on Recall Election. ” Its subject was the upcoming vote to recall both the mayor and county commissioner’s place in office.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male and Female (shared byline)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female – circuit judge

2. Male – attorney

3. Male – citizen leading the recall efforts

4. Male- current mayor (as quoted from a press conference)

Notes/analysis: The accompanying photo pictures supporters of the recall. One of the three subjects was female.

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday, Feb. 25 was titled “Lowry Park Gets Jurassic Park Makeover.” Its subject was a new temporary DinoQuest exhibit at the local zoo.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female- mother of exhibit participant

2. Female- child participant

3. Female – child participant

Notes/analysis: Two of the three human sources are children, and both female. Dinosaurs are typically associated with male children, so the sources of this story are particularly interesting.

Gender check: 2/24/11 – Midwest

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

*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 the Stltoday, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 3:30 p.m. (MST) Thursday, Feb. 24, was titled “Missouri man pleads guilty in sex slave case.” Its subject was one of five defendants in the alleged sexual slavery and torture of a mentally disabled woman entering a guilty plea.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male and female, male is one of the co-defendants (couple “said”)

2. Male, defendant that entered guilty plea

3. Female, lawyer

Notes/analysis: This article continues a saga that’s been somewhat controversial since it came to light last fall. It involves accusations of sexual and physical torture over the course of five years, that a U.S. attorney referred to as “among the most horrific ever prosecuted” in the Western District of Missouri. But, at the same time, the alleged ring leader, his wife and many from their community are claiming that the woman was not in fact a sex slave but an active, consenting participant in the actions. They also debate whether she does have “mental deficiencies.” The story, particularly its original headline, on the doubts about the woman’s story also sparked its own drama.


Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 3 p.m. (MST) Thursday, Feb. 24, was titled “Monetary gains make solar power a more practical choice.” Its subject was solar energy and the current incentives offered to use it.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female, of environmental coalition

2. Male, director of operations for chemical distributor

3. Male, of solar company

4. Male, home owner

5. Male, home owner

6. Male, home owner

7. Male, with solar company