In 2020, only 6.5% of women worked in male-dominated fields. I’m one of them.

As a female journalist myself, navigating a male-dominated field can sometimes be intimidating.

My career in journalism started in high school, where I worked both as a reporter and an editor. Once I graduated, I did the same thing at the junior college I attended. There, I worked as a reporter for one semester, then was promoted to managing editor. 

Now, I work as a columnist and news reporter for the Northern Star.

I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a diverse news staff with many women in powerful positions. That’s not always the case. 

Women are vastly underrepresented in the newsroom by large margins. Less representation often means less power.  

Looking at editorial boards for national newspapers, it varies how much power women have in the newsroom. Even in 2020, less than a quarter of editors across 200 major news outlets were women.  

Not only do women historically have less power in the newsroom but outside of it, as well.

In general, women are more likely to experience sexism, pay gap problems and a lack of respect. 

Female journalists are also more likely to experience these problems, especially sexism and misogyny, even outside of the newsroom. It’s disrespectful, but it’s also terrifying that this behavior continues to be pushed under the rug.

Yes, most of the news staffs I’ve been a part of have had women in positions of power, including myself. However, as a former editor, I’ve also had problems with male subordinates listening to me — or, rather, not listening to me. 

I remember one of the first times I’d ever experienced such blatant disrespect in the newsroom. I was an editor at the time, working with a male reporter. He was new to the field and needed help cleaning up his writing before it was sent for publication. 

He not only ignored my edits, but he also ignored me. He barely acknowledged my presence, and never respected my position. The same can’t be said for the male editors in the room. 

However, as a journalist, most of my job happens away from my desk. Gathering information, contacting sources and then interviewing those sources is where most of my time is spent. 

Talking to powerful men can be intimidating. I’ve been ignored, talked down to and made to feel like I’m wasting their time with my questions. 

Men are used to being in control and taking up space. They’ve always been allowed that privilege. 

Don’t let them scare you — as the one asking the questions, you’re in charge. Don’t be afraid to let them know that.