Harassment on Assignment: Gendered Emotional Labour in Canadian Newsrooms

The harassment of women and gender non-binary journalists is pervasive. In recent years, many scholars and practitioners have collected evidence to suggest it is getting worse. To assess the effects of such harassment in Canada, I interviewed 16 current or former female journalists and one gender non-binary journalist, and conducted a survey of more than 130 journalists to understand the scope of this harassment and its impact, including whether it motivated participants to consider leaving their job. The results of this survey revealed that female and gender non-binary journalists in Canada experience ongoing verbal and physical abuse rooted in misogyny, sexism, racism, Islamophobia and homophobia. Participants detailed cyber-violence, assault, sexual harassment, threats of violence and death threats connected to their work.