What are gender-sensitive indicators? What actions can be taken when speakers are categorically against feminitives? And why is a gender policy important for editors? These topics were discussed during the online training “Gender-sensitive journalism: from reporting to editorial principles,” which was attended by 80 journalists.
The training was organized by the NGO “Women in Media” together with the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine with the support of UNESCO.
A society that strives for gender equality is more competitive. This was emphasized by Oleksandr Burmahin, a media lawyer and representative of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, during his introductory speech. In such a society, questions about gender do not arise when the work is done professionally. Both women and men can attack enemy positions, command military units, and shoot down enemy drones.
“Studies show a direct correlation between the level of human rights observance and the level of economic development, sustainability, and stability of society,” Oleksandr said.
The media play a key role in shaping a society free from sexism, stereotypes, and other forms of discrimination. That is why it is important for newsrooms to adhere to standards and adopt and apply a gender policy.
However, many obstacles may arise on the path to achieving gender equality, such as harassment or abuse of female journalists. Stephanie Grüssinger, Acting Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, emphasized the importance of combating online violence against female journalists. A study by the organization found that 73% of female media professionals worldwide have experienced online violence in the workplace.
Women in Media also conducted the study “Undervalued Threat: Gender Disinformation Against Ukrainian Journalist.”
According to Stefanie, UNESCO has developed recommendations for addressing cyber-violence, which will soon be published in Ukrainian.
“I believe in gender equality”
Achieving gender equality in Ukraine will take 134 years. This was stated by Liza Kuzmenko, head of the NGO “Women in the Media” and a member of the Journalistic Ethics Commission, who referred to data from the World Economic Forum. However, to achieve this, it’s important to take at least one small action every day.
The study by the Institute of Mass Information found that 24 out of 50 media outlets investigated still use elements of hate speech, sexism, discrimination, and stereotyping in their materials. That is why it is important for newsrooms to understand gender indicators and use them. These indicators serve as markers or guidelines that make it easier to avoid inappropriate statements and biases.
“Gender equality in the media exists on two levels: within the editorial office itself and in the content produced. Attention should be given to who makes decisions in the editorial office, whether women and men are paid equally for the same work, and so on. In terms of content, it’s important to consider whether men or women experts are invited to comment on various topics,” says Liza Kuzmenko.
This forms the basis of the gender-sensitive indicators developed by UNESCO for media content, which Women in Media translated and adapted to the Ukrainian context. They are available via the following link.
A valuable tool for achieving gender equality in the editorial office can be a gender policy. A template for this policy was developed by the Commission on Journalistic Ethics and Women in the Media, with support from the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy.
“It is often said that monitoring content is difficult due to resource constraints. However, a short review period, such as a week, can be useful. During this time, it is possible to assess which sections include coverage of women, whether women are given the opportunity to speak directly, how much is written about violence and vulnerable populations, and whether information about shelters or hotlines is provided,” the expert explains.
Liza Kuzmenko acknowledged that in regional media, one person often has to perform multiple roles simultaneously. This is compounded by power outages, employee mobilization, shelling, and other challenges. It’s important to start with something. Everything may not be perfect right away, but small steps can always be taken. For example, consider whether it is possible to balance work and motherhood for media workers, such as allowing them to bring a child to work.
Liza Kuzmenko, head of the NGO “Women in the Media,” cited an example of gender-sensitive journalism involving politician Yulia Tymoshenko, who spoke about the weakness of women. Host Pavlo Kazarin responded with, “I believe in gender equality.” This is a good example of a journalist avoiding stereotypical judgments. While the views of the subjects and experts in publications may sometimes contradict gender policy, whether to broadcast such views publicly is up to the media.
Additionally, it’s important to continuously update knowledge. Take advantage of free opportunities offered by the public sector or international organizations. Even completing a training is a step towards achieving gender equality.
Hint, frame and excuse
Media expert and creative director of the Lviv Media Forum, Otar Dovzhenko, discussed the importance of both editorial policy in general and gender policy in particular. He emphasized that the policy should be applied across the entire editorial office, be concise but clear, and tailored to the specific needs of the media outlet. While different media might use various terms for this document, such as rules or standards, one constant is that the policy should be developed by the team, not by the owner or founder. The foundational editorial policy should be written by one person, but suggestions and revisions should involve all media workers.
It is important that the editorial policy is not only for the editor but also for the entire team.
“The more people participate in the discussion, the less resistance there will be during implementation,” Otar believes.
Otar Dovzhenko emphasized that it is crucial not only to have a document but also to adhere to its contents. Rules that are not enforced can lead to the violation of other rules.
He advises clearly defining what journalists can and cannot do on their personal social media and what is permitted or prohibited in opinion columns.
“If you state that hate speech is not used, be specific about what that means, as each person might interpret it differently,” the expert explains.
Additionally, it’s helpful to have an editorial dictionary that includes the spelling of proper names, conflicting terms, and formatting guidelines for freelance authors.
Just as gender policy cannot be effective without an editorial policy, an editorial policy will be incomplete without a gender component. However, it’s not just about formal acceptance; it’s also crucial to adapt the policy to the specific needs of the editorial office.
“You don’t need to do Ctrl+C — Ctrl+V. Be honest with yourself. When writing about gender balance, it’s important to recognize that achieving a 50/50 ratio can be challenging. This should be monitored continuously. Therefore, it is better to progress gradually,” says Otar Dovzhenko.
Dovzhenko emphasizes that using feminine adjectives is a matter of speech culture. Even if speakers are categorically opposed to their use, journalists can include them in indirect speech as required by the rules.
“Truth and grammar are on your side. On their side is the usage that has persisted for decades due to the influence of the Russian language. You have stronger arguments, so use them. If they don’t want to listen, then move on. When we have a female president who insists on being called “president” (without a feminine adjective in Ukrainian), it will pose a challenge. We might need to convene to decide how to proceed, though such cases are currently rare and can often be addressed on an individual basis,” advises Dovzhenko.
According to Otar, a much bigger issue arises when someone on the team refuses to use feminitives. Editorial control is necessary in such cases, as it concerns adherence to editorial rules rather than personal beliefs. If you want to work here, you must follow these rules.
Over time, the brain has difficulty processing text without feminitives
NV journalist and project manager at the NGO “Women in Media,” Oleksandra Horchynska, shared practical examples and guidelines for creating materials. Unfortunately, society still maintains a division into so-called male and female domains. The media perpetuates this stereotype by inviting women to comment on topics like culture or education, while men are invited to discuss the economy or the military. Oleksandra Horchynska suggests seeking out less public figures for commentary, which can help move towards gender balance. Of course, this requires more time and effort.
Oleksandra noted that using feminine forms becomes a habit, and over time, referring to a woman’s profession using masculine terms may no longer be associated with a woman.
“Over time, the brain has difficulty processing text without feminitives,” she says.
Oleksandra advises avoiding stereotypical images of women and men in media materials. For example, before holidays, media often feature gift guides suggesting that women should receive items like a pan, while men should get a screwdriver. Such recommendations reinforce stereotypical perceptions.
“It is essential to develop materials that do not reinforce stereotypes. We should move away from portraying women as merely “tender,” “keepers of the home,” “flowers of the team,” and so on,” Horchynska believes.
When covering domestic and gender-based violence, Oleksandra advises following these rules:
- Adopt a zero-tolerance stance towards violence.
- Avoid sensationalism and stigmatization.
- Avoid using the word “victim”; instead, use terms like “casualty,” “survivor,” or “survivor of violence.”
- Avoid victimization.
Avoid using the term “marital duty,” as it is mistakenly believed that sexual violence cannot occur within marriage. However, this is not the case. People often say, “She did something to deserve being raped.” No action can ever justify violence. The fact that a woman drank alcohol or wore revealing clothing does not mean she can be raped,” the journalist explains.
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that women are involved in the country’s defense in various roles. A positive aspect is that the holiday is now called Defender’s Day, with a clear inclusion of the feminine form for female defenders. However, when discussing topics like children or parental leave, the media often focus primarily on women. Yet, there are also men who take parental leave. In couples where both partners are in the military, who should take parental leave?
“Such topics should be presented without reinforcing stereotypes to avoid creating the impression that a mother is neglectful for leaving her child to fight. On the contrary, it should be shown that both men and women can be equal, and it is simply a matter of personal choice which path to take,” says Oleksandra.
Emphasizing appearance and sexuality in media materials is inappropriate. When a woman who is professional and self-sufficient is reduced to merely being “beautiful” or “blonde” in the media, her achievements in women’s rights are undermined. For the sake of sensationalism and clickbait, some media label women as someone’s wife, sister, or bride, which degrades them and renders their contributions invisible.
“Indicating a woman’s status is appropriate only if she is the First Lady,” noted Liza Kuzmenko.
A ticket to the civilized world
At the end of the training, it’s always rewarding to read feedback from the participants.
“Thank you for the valuable knowledge that is important not only for our work but also for our personal lives,” wrote Olha Poltavets, Director of RIA Visnyk Kupianshchyna LLC.
“Thank you for updating my knowledge! Some points were truly overlooked until today,” wrote Iryna Mordyk, editor at Relife radio.
“Thank you for the great training! It was very useful!” — Anastasiia Ravva, General Producer at Espresso.
“Thank you for the interesting event. We need to keep chipping away at this rock… understanding and applying gender standards, and their acceptance by society, are essential components of our path to the EU and the civilized world,” concluded Oleksandr Burmahin.
More than 200 media professionals registered for the training, with over 80 journalists participating in the event. All participants received certificates.
Unfortunately, due to power outages caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine, some media workers were unable to connect online. However, they are provided with access to training materials and recordings.
Olena Kushchenko