"It was all about being 'young,' 'cute,' and 'funny'": how women journalists assess harassment and gender inequalities in Brazilian newsrooms

Giulia Sbaraini Fontes; Gisele Barao da Silva; Francisco Paulo Jamil Marques

doi:10.1080/14680777.2023.2243546

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"It was all about being 'young,' 'cute,' and 'funny'": how women journalists assess harassment and gender inequalities in Brazilian newsrooms

Journal article

Peer reviewed

"It was all about being 'young,' 'cute,' and 'funny'": how women journalists assess harassment and gender inequalities in Brazilian newsrooms

Giulia Sbaraini Fontes, Gisele Barao da Silva and Francisco Paulo Jamil Marques

Feminist media studies, Vol.24(7), pp.1514-1530

10/02/2024

DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2023.2243546

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https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/_It_was_all_about_being_young_cute_and_funny_how_women_journalists_assess_harassment_and_gender_inequalities_in_Brazilian_newsrooms/23978268View

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Abstract

The article aims to investigate how Brazilian women journalists assess harassment and gender inequalities in newsrooms. By considering an array of female professionals' testimonials, we also examine to what extent such burdens in the workplace harm journalists' private life and professional routines. Based on 31 semi-structured interviews, we found that the main grievances include unfair treatment regarding career opportunities, moral and sexual harassment, and the recurrent discrediting of complaints addressed to newsroom managers. According to the interviewees, the lack of support from coworkers and media organizations contributes to a culture of impunity characterizing the industry. In addition, although women comprise the majority of workers in Brazilian newsrooms, they often do not receive the same acknowledgment as male journalists for their performance. Our research provides two contributions to the scholarship by systematizing the complaints reported by female journalists. First, we discuss how to improve professional support mechanisms at the level of news companies. Second, we reflect on how harassment and gender inequalities in newsrooms jeopardize professionals' democratic roles in hostile political environments.

Communication

Social Sciences

Women's Studies

Details

Title: Subtitle: "It was all about being 'young,' 'cute,' and 'funny'": how women journalists assess harassment and gender inequalities in Brazilian newsrooms
Creators: Giulia Sbaraini Fontes - Universidade Federal do Paraná
Gisele Barao da Silva - Universidade Federal do Paraná
Francisco Paulo Jamil Marques - Universidade Federal do Paraná
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Feminist media studies, Vol.24(7), pp.1514-1530
DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2023.2243546
ISSN: 1468-0777
eISSN: 1471-5902
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Number of pages: 17
Grant note: 88887.478242/2020-00 / Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES); Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) 310724/2020-1; 406504/2022-9 / Brazilian National Scientific Council (CNPq); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPQ); Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF)
Language: English
Date published: 10/02/2024
Academic Unit: Center for Social Science Innovation; School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Record Identifier: 9984772266502771

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