“Weaponizing Misogyny”: Gender-Based Harassment’s Impact on Journalists and Free Expression

Whether they are reporting on gun violence, covering protests in the post-Dobbs era, or sharing information about COVID with the public, journalists are on the frontlines, bringing important issues to light. But the risks of that reporting don’t lie equally with everyone. White women journalists face much more significant harassment than their white male counterparts, and women of color face harassment based on their gender, race/ethnicity, or both at the same time.

These dynamics have impacts on both journalists and journalism. Harassment of journalists creates a strong chilling effect on coverage, resulting in self-censorship or censorship. These threats result in fewer voices, especially fewer diverse voices, left to cover important stories. Join IfRFA for a discussion of how gender-based harassment online and off shapes our speech environment, leading to differing coverage and barriers to the free expression of ideas, featuring Elisa Lees Muñoz of the International Women’s Media Foundation, Jeje Mohamed from PEN America, Pratika Katiyar of the Student Press Law Center, and Taylor Lorenz of the Washington Post.