Commission on the Status of Women 2019 Abstracts
“Ceiling-breaker” and “sexist backlash”: Articulations of feminism in narratives of women in sports broadcasting • Dunja Antunovic, Charley Steiner School of Sports Communication; Cheryl Cooky, Purdue University • Recently several women became “firsts” to call nationally televised men’s professional sports games in the United States. Journalists simultaneously celebrated women’s progress and lamented widespread discrimination practices in the industry. This paper examines articulations of feminism in media narratives of “first women.” We locate narratives of progress and narratives of failure to explore the ways certain forms of feminism beome visible. Further, the paper connects media narratives to feminist storytelling practices in academic feminism.
Maidens, Bosomy Belly Dancers and Black Magic Vamps: A Qualitative Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Middle Eastern Women in American Children’s Films • Amal Bakry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Dedria Givens-Carroll, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Nadia Alhashimi • Media are a main source for children to learn about gender (Towbin, Haddock, Zimmerman, Lund, & Tanner, 2003). On average, children watch 20 hours of television per week (The Kaiser Foundation, 1999). Drawing theoretical support from Said’s (1978) Orientalism, this study aims to examine the portrayal of Middle Eastern women in American children’s films. A qualitative content analysis was conducted of nine animated children’s films from 1956 to 2004. These films included the portrayal of Middle Eastern women and were analyzed. Findings indicate that the films reinforced stereotypes about Middle Eastern women who were either hyper-sexualized or were portrayed as villains and/or conniving seductresses in the majority of depictions.
Black Twitter Representations of #Kavanaugh Hearings • Dorothy Bland, University of North Texas; Mia Moody-Ramirez, Title • Public reaction on Twitter exploded after Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor, testified she was sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh, a judge, when they were teens. He denied her allegations, and he became the 114th justice on the Supreme Court of the United States on Oct. 6, 2018. This study employs feminist theory and analyzes tweets containing “Kavanaugh Hearings” and “Black Twitter.” Findings indicate most tweets studied fell into five key categories: call to action, historical repetition, steep racial/political divide, white privilege and informational.
Online Harassment of U.S. Women Journalists and its Impact on Press Freedom • Caitlin Carlson, Seattle University; Haley Witt, Seattle University • The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether and how online harassment impacts U.S. Women Journalists. Of particular interest was whether online harassment creates a chilling effect, which in turn may influence press freedom. Results of the survey (n=141) indicated that negative online interactions caused the majority of participants to feel dissatisfied with their jobs. This may cause women journalists to leave the field before retirement age or discourage young women from entering it all together. Given the important role members of the media play in shaping the public agenda, framing issues, and priming viewers about how to evaluate current events, limiting women’s ability to participate in this process could reshape the universe of discourse in a way that is both skewed and problematic. A chilling effect was also evident in participant’s responses. Some respondents reported avoiding covering certain stories for fear of the online vitriol they would receive. An overwhelming majority of U.S. women journalists surveyed (79%) agreed that online harassment was impacting press freedom. In the United States, a free and fair press is an essential component of our Democracy. Online harassment is preventing women journalists from serving in their capacity as a watchdog on government and other institutions. The paper concludes with suggestions for remedying this issue. Recommendations include changing expectations for how women journalists are expected to interact with their audience social media, having news organizations disable the comments feature on their websites, and prohibiting readers and viewers from posting anonymously on news organization’s websites.
Translating transgender lives: A study of trans* communication practitioners as cultural intermediaries • Erica Ciszek, University of Texas at Austin; Elaine Almeida • Through in-depth interviews with trans* communication practitioners, this paper represents a turning point in communication toward a more intentional and reflexive orientation to gender identity and transgender lives. Findings demonstrate trans* practitioners construct and disseminate discourses designed to counter the historical narratives surrounding gender minorities to reshape these stories for themselves (as part of their own identity work), for trans* communities, and for mainstream audiences. This article employs the Bourdieuian concept of cultural intermediation to explicate the lived experiences of trans* individuals working in fields of communication. It specifically asks how trans* communicators create and maintain cultural intelligibility and negotiate social meaning of transgender representations, considering transgender communicators as cultural intermediaries at the center of the struggle for symbolic and material power.
The Pied Piper of R&B: An Intersectional Analysis of News Coverage of R. Kelly’s Sexual Abuse Allegations in the Era of Me Too and #MeToo • Teri Del Rosso, University of Memphis; Melissa Janoske, University of Memphis; Stephanie Madden; Jeniece Jamison • This paper explores coverage of R. Kelly’s sexual abuse allegations. We collected news stories from three Kelly-invested communities: his hometown of Chicago, the entertainment/music industry, and African-American/Black-centered media, within the first year of Me Too and the subsequent first year of the #MeToo movement. Using intersectionality and misogynoir as a lens, we interrogate how the narrative of Kelly is crafted, and to what degree coverage reinforces an institutional bias against young, black women.
Who broke it first? How news of sexual misconduct in US academia reaches the public • Stine Eckert, Wayne State University; Julie Libarkin, Michigan State University; Madison Witkowski, Michigan State University; Julia Michienzi, Michigan State University; Maddy Coy, University of Florida; Bonnie Moradi, University of Florida; Linda Steiner, University of Maryland • We analyzed how news of sexual misconduct in US academia—specifically, when a university employee was the alleged perpetrator—was broken to the wider public. We used a database of 763 cases between 1975 and 2019 to conduct a systematic textual analysis. Thus far, we have coded 434 cases randomly selected by the research team to discern patterns of gender, disciplines, and results of investigations. We conducted a more detailed analysis of 114 of these randomly selected cases to discern which media type broke the news first to a wider public. We used a feminist theory approach to contextualize our findings. Results of the study revealed that 56 cases were first made public to a wider audience in local media, 16 cases were first reported via student media, and 14 cases were first reported via court documents. Not surprisingly, a gendered pattern of misconduct emerged, with the vast majority of cases involving men as perpetrators and women as targets. The majority of perpetrators were faculty, followed by administrators; the overwhelming majority of targets were students.
Framing Campus Sexual Assault in College News: Peer Education and Counter-Power in a Rape-Supportive Environment • Barbara Friedman • Before campus sexual assault made national headlines, it made campus-news headlines. College newspapers, “flash points for campus tensions over many issues” (Hoover, 2004), have been a point of origin for coverage as institutions increasingly come under external scrutiny for their handling of sexual assault complaints. This study considers the ways that coverage of sexual assault in campus newspapers—which outnumber US dailies evidence some of the practices in national media coverage of the issue, and how campus media might constitute a counter-power project, defined by Castells (2007) as “the capacity of a social actor to resist and challenge power relations that are institutionalized.” The study examines 631 articles from 13 colleges or universities that were or are under federal investigation for possible Title IX violations related to mishandling of sexual assault complaints.
Absence of Female Empowerment and Agency: A Content Analysis of the 2017 Billboard Hot 100 Songs • Stephanie Gibbons; Stacey Hust; Kathleen Boyce Rodgers, Washington State University; Jiayu Li; Soojung Kang; Nicole Cameron • The Billboard Top 100 list of music is a composite of the most popular mainstream songs each week of a calendar year. However, when looking at the list of the top songs over the span of 2017, it is apparent that female only artists are grossly underrepresented, comprising of only 14 percent of the total top spots. While female artists deserve an equal place on the list, so do their messages. The following paper explores the extent that top mainstream artists discuss issues such as female empowerment and female sexual agency. Social Cognitive Theory is applied in this paper to exemplify the need for female empowerment within mainstream music in order for female listeners to perceive themselves as efficacious agents over their own life goals. Results indicate that female only artists are most likely to sing about empowerment and sexual agency; however, of those artists, less than ten percent of top songs include these messages.
Not as Innocent as They Seem: A Content Analysis on Gender Stereotyping in Memes • Crystal Hong; Fiona Mei Robinson; Sherlyn Goh, Nanyang Technological University; Abigail Toh • This exploratory study examines gender representations in memes using a content analysis of 638 memes from the Know Your Meme Facebook page. Guided by Erving Goffman’s framework for analysis of gender advertisements, this study found gender stereotyping in memes, especially in representations of dominance and interaction. Males are further observed to dominate the memetic landscape, with a severe underrepresentation of females. Although perceived as harmless entertainment, memes as a communication channel propagates gender stereotypes.
Nasty Writers: Uses and gratifications of private, online space in the age of Trump • Kelsey Husnick, Wayne State University; Rosie Jahng, Wayne State University • Online spaces of feminist solidarity have sprouted up in the last few years, such as a secret Facebook group specifically for women journalists with more than 8,150 members. Using uses and gratifications and the feminist ethic of care as the key theoretical framework, this study examines the female journalists’ current uses of and motivations for participating in the secret female-journalists-only Facebook group. In-depth interviews with group members produced findings including the motivation to seek out information and camaraderie, which, at face value, seem to align with previous motivations for social media use. The feminist ethic of care also emerged as a new motivation. This study illuminates the unique needs of female journalists that are not yet being met within their workplaces, which could have transformative power in newsrooms across the U.S. if used to try to fulfill those needs moving forward.
Between subject and object: How mass media industries have enabled sexual misconduct and harassment—and how they also exposed them • Jacqueline Lambiase, TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication; Tracy Everbach, University of North Texas; Carolyn Bronstein, DePaul University • These case studies of Fox News and Google examine the #MeToo movement on journalism, advertising, and public relations. These industries have provided a front-row seat for sexual harassment investigations, coverage of the #MeToo Movement, and advocacy for awareness and change. These case studies show that mass media industries need only to look within their own workplaces to find the unforgettable details of abuse. This research provides recommendations to help prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
Covering a nation’s shame: A feminist news analysis of maternal mortality • Dustin Harp; Jaime Loke, Texas Christian University • The United States has the worst rate of maternal deaths of any other developed nation in the world. Through a qualitative analysis, the research seeks to elucidate how the topic of maternal mortality is structured in mainstream news media. By choosing to examine both national and state news coverage this research offers breadth and depth in its investigation of journalism covering this serious (and often preventable) medical problem. The research presented here represents a fragment of a larger project focused on understanding just how well contemporary journalists are doing in covering the story. This portion of the research offers a qualitative investigation of media coverage of maternal mortality in the United States and Texas, where women’s death related to pregnancy and childbirth are particularly egregious. Feminist, cultural, and health communication theorists and researchers guided the research process, offering a framework from which to approach a discourse analysis.
Exploring Gender Differences in How Teens and Young Adults Experience Cyber Surveillance, Cyberbullying, and Online Sexual Harassment • Stacey Hust; Kathleen Boyce Rodgers, Washington State University; Nicole O’Donnell, Virginia Commonwealth University; Jason Wheeler • This research examines how young men and women experience and respond to cyber surveillance, cyberbullying, and online sexual harassment. Qualitative in-depth interviews and simultaneous social media tours were conducted with eight high school and eight college students from rural, suburban, and urban communities in the Pacific Northwest. Themes include differences in how men and women use social media to seek sexual partners. Additionally, women discussed experiences with sexual cyberbullying, harassment, same-sex slut-shaming, and victim blaming.
Time’s Up: How Celebrity Endorsements on Twitter Impacted eWOM of the 2018 Women’s Movement • Ayla Oden • The Time’s Up movement was founded on January 1, 2018 with an overwhelming support from Hollywood. Celebrity endorsements were crucial to the movement’s viral success. This study utilizes the two-step flow of communication theory and social presence theory to determine what impact celebrity endorsements on Twitter had on the electronic word of mouth (eWOM) of Time’s Up and other social movement organizations (SMOs). A content analysis of tweets (n=801) mentioning the hashtag #TimesUp shows that while not all opinion leaders have an equal impact, some celebrity tweets did out-engage @TIMESUPNOW. This study also analyzed the correlation between online social presence and eWOM. Little correlation was found, indicating that celebrities can be beneficial opinion leaders to SMOs regardless of previous online activity.
Where’s the Beef? How One Woman Rocketed to Leadership in Advertising’s Creative World • Katie Olsen • The advertising industry presents women with one of the toughest paths to achieve leadership. This study used social role theory to examine how a woman was named Executive Creative Director at one of the leading independent full-service agencies in the lower US Midwest at the age of 33. A passion for leadership and creative development connected with promoting and protecting a strong work-life balance were two overarching themes impacting her journey.
From F-Bombs to Kissing Students: Media Framing of Male and Female Professors Accused of Sexual Harassment • Bethany Pitchford, Texas Tech University; Miglena Sternadori, Texas Tech University College of Media and Communication; Jesse Starkey; Amy Koerber • This framing analysis identified the differences in the ways in which news stories depicted two male and two female tenured professors accused of sexual harassment—Coleman Hutchison, Jorge Dominguez, Avital Ronell, and Teresa Buchanan—at research-intensive universities in non-STEM disciplines. The identified media frames, some of which were distinctly gendered, included Subjects (Objects) of Hazy Creepiness; Little Boys Being Bad; Academic Power Players; Treacherous “Stay-Away-Froms”; and Eccentric Free Thinkers.
Examining Intersectionality of Ethnicity and Gender in Voting Decisions: An Experimental Study • Martina Santia; Stephanie L. Whitenack, LSU • Despite the recent surge of women in American politics, women of color still confront disproportionate impediments associated with their perceived gender and ethnicity simultaneously. Through a survey-based experiment, this project builds upon the intersectionality literature to bridge conceptual gaps concerning voters’ attitudes towards Latina political candidates. The results show that Latinas are evaluated more negatively compared to their white female counterparts, thus confirming the double disadvantage Latinas are exposed to when running for office.
Reporting on transgender victims of homicide: Practices of misgendering, sourcing and transparency • Natalee Seely, Ball State University • Media representations of violence against transgender individuals have implications for public opinion, awareness, and policy. Journalists must make editorial decisions about identifying transgender victims of homicide who cannot speak for themselves. Choices regarding sourcing, context, and language may also mitigate or exacerbate stereotypes and misinformation. This study uses content analysis to examine a sample (N=112) of mainstream U.S. news articles that covered the 26 transgender victims of homicide reported in 2018. Around 20% of articles referred to victims by their dead names, but around 9% of articles explicitly drew attention to the harms of police misidentification of transgender victims. Around 30% of the sample discussed violence against transgender individuals in social context. Police sources were present in nearly three-fourths of the sample; however, advocate sources were cited in nearly 50% of articles, offering an additional narrative. Associated Press Stylebook guidelines and best practices are discussed.
“Ideal Press Work”: The struggles of Kentucky suffrage press superintendents in gaining right to vote and living their lives • Melony Shemberger, Murray State University • State press superintendents in Kentucky performed vital work in women’s suffrage associations. Keeping Kentucky newspapers supplied with ready-to-print material on the women’s suffrage movement, writing original articles, maintaining relationships with newspaper editors, and clipping published material were among the responsibilities and activities of the press superintendents. In April 1898, Jessie Jane Cassidy, press superintendent for the National-American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), wrote a nearly three-page newsletter article describing the importance of “ideal press work” in reaching most U.S. newspapers and citing reasons why “ideal press work” was not being met by the state suffrage associations. This research examines the press work of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association against NAWSA’s “ideal press work” paradigm. Kentucky is the central focus of this study because of the rich digital resources available in obtaining convention reports for most years since the organization’s founding and during the suffrage movement. Overall, Kentucky’s press superintendents had difficulties in meeting the “ideal press work” standard set forth by Cassidy, but progress and achievements were noted, especially during the tenure of Lida Calvert Obenchain. Other variables prevented an “ideal press work” from occurring, such as illness, death and other personal affairs. This examination not only showcases the worthiness of the publicity efforts among suffrage press superintendents in Kentucky, but it also sheds light on the balance these women sought to achieve between gaining their full right to vote and living their lives. This study has implications for today’s women, who face similar struggles in their battles for workplace equalities.
Guarding against complacency: A multi-industry analysis of attitudes toward Title IX and gender equity in sport • Erin Whiteside, University of Tennessee; Charli Kerns • This research explores the attitudes and experiences among sports media professionals toward Title IX and gender equity in sports. Findings update prior research and provide a holistic picture of attitudes toward the law across digital/print, broadcasting and sports information. Findings also show how attitudes may be shaped by gender and age and industry. In highlighting different organizational value systems by industry, this research provides some precision for conversations assessing Title IX and women’s sports coverage.
The Underrepresentation of Women on Commercial FM-radio stations in the Top 20 Markets • Patricia Williamson, Central Michigan University; Ethan Kolek, Central Michigan University • To determine whether women are underrepresented on-air in the radio industry, a content analysis of weekday shifts at commercial FM radio stations in the top 20 U.S. markets was conducted. Findings show women are underrepresented in every daypart except middays, and least represented in Afternoon Drive. By format, women are best represented on-air at Adult Contemporary stations, and least represented at Rock, News/Talk, and Sports stations. Market size nor station ownership impacted air-talent gender.
Challenging the Gender Dichotomy?: Examining Olympic Channel Content Through a Gendered Lens • Qingru Xu, The University of Alabama; Andrew Billings, University of Alabama • “This study content-analyzed 1,013 thumbnails of news episodes at the Olympic Channel through the lens of biological sex. By examining the percentage of pictures rendered to male and female athletes, theme, sports type, sexualization, subordination, and action level, this study uncovered that, although some sex differences existed, the Olympic Channel—overall—showcased a high level of gender equality in visualizing male and female athletes in news thumbnails, especially considering that the cover pictures analyzed in this study were collected from the daily-based media coverage, rather than during the Olympic periods. This study is one of the first to explore sex differences in a media platform established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with theoretical and practical implications outlined.
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