Diversity in the media: it is not just black and white

image of André Leon Talley from Harper's BAZAAR

When we think about diversity in the media, we automatically think of journalists, editors, PR specialists. What we fail to think about are the stories. Stories about diversity, about marginalized groups. 

I firmly believe diversity in the media still needs a lot of work. Still, as a journalist entering the new age of digitalization and social movements, I will admit that I am fortunate. The fact that there was ever a time when we did not have POC newscasters or diversity on magazine covers seems crazy.

For a very long time (and even now), women were under-represented in the journalistic world. According to NiemanLab, about one-half of newsrooms are white men. Unfortunately, this number does not accurately portray the demographics of our country, so how can we possibly expect stories written about minorities and marginalized groups to be unbiased and representative. 

Having a diverse community of journalists, photojournalists, and editors is so essential to the integrity of the publication. However, when it comes to writing stories about Black, Asian, or Jewish histories, it can be daunting. While I have no issue with a white person writing these stories, I know from personal experiences that writing a story about a group of people you are not a part of can be very nerve-wracking. We do not want to offend anyone, but if you are in a newsroom that lacks representation, find people around you to have an open discussion about how stories are written and if it is okay to say something like this or that can be not easy. 

My roommate, for instance, wrote a beautiful story about Black culture in Appalachia for a publication here on campus. She spent so long writing this story and worrying that she might offend someone. She did not offend anyone, but at least from what I know about that publication, there are not many black students involved. I know that having people around me who understand the experiences of the people I am writing about is incredibly important and helpful for my peace of mind. 

As a woman in journalism, I recognize that I am also underrepresented in the media. In broadcast, women are typically more heavily scrutinized. We are beaten down by archaic gender stereotypes and often belittled. Women only make up 37% of journalists, while we make up over 50% of the world population. It is clear that representation and diversity are lacking not only racially but also for women and the LGBTQ+ community.

I can complain all day about how the media needs to do better, and they are making leaps and bounds towards inclusivity. Still, it would be a shame not to acknowledge the people who have been working or have worked in the media to create a more diverse world.

André Leon Talley was the former Editor-at-Large, first black creative director, and editor of fashion news at Vogue. His contribution to the magazine, as well as fashion, worlds was monumental. He restructured how race played a role in fashion and was a strong ally for black models and writers. Unfortunately, in January of this year, he passed away, but he leaves behind a story that is so monumental for black, LGBTQ+, and fashion representation.

When John Quiñones visited Ohio University, I enjoyed hearing his speech. He spoke about the lack of Latino representation in the media, and he told the story about one of his first significant investigative journalism opportunities. John's passion is telling the stories of Latin and South America. He was the first Latino correspondent for ABC. 

I believe as a culture; we are making small strides towards more inclusivity. It is so essential to the integrity of journalism to continue having these conversations about how we can do better when it comes to reporting on these issues. But I am so glad that I get to be a part of the change and empower future journalists of diverse backgrounds to create the most important stories.