Who Run the World (of Journalism)? Girls!!!!: My Reflection on Learning About Girl Reporters

The first presentation given during our second EOTO really caught my attention. From the pop of the Barbie pink background to the empowering topic of girl reporters, I soaked it all in. I have always been passionate about the role of women in pop culture and the media in general, but I didn’t know much about how they have historically contributed to the world of journalism.

They completely redefined what being a woman embodied through stunt journalism. They were brave, resilient, and intelligent, accomplishing massive feats to simply get the story. They did all of this while being “unapologetically female” in the face of naysayers namely old white men at the time who couldn’t imagine a woman outside of the kitchen.

They completely turned the world of journalism upside down as they introduced a new way of writing by tackling serious subjects they had first-hand experience with such as abortion and harassment. They wrote with color and raw emotion that some will argue is all yellow journalism, but it resonated with the readers and it is the reason I am able to learn about them as a young female journalism student in 2023. 

The presenters then went into a little bit of detail about some of the first girl reporters and even mentioned one of the writers I studied which was a nice little crossover. When talking about girl reporters or stunt journalism Nellie Bly comes to mind, so it was only fitting that the next group of presenters solely focused on her life and career. I didn’t know much about the journalist before seeing these presentations, so this was my first opportunity to be able to learn just how impactful the woman was.

Her biggest stunt journalism piece was when she got herself committed to the Blackwell Insane Asylum and wrote her exposition "Behind Asylum Bars" about the horrendously poor environment and treatment of those living there. I had heard a little bit about this whole story, but what I found even more interesting was that she inspired a season of one of my favorite television series.

The creator of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy, admits that he based season two of the show titled Asylum on the expose along with other retellings of insane asylums of the time. Sarah Paulson portrays a character named Lana Winters who the audience comes to find is a stunt journalist trying to get a story about the true treatment of patients, just like Nellie Bly. There were, of course, some supernatural elements in the show and a storyline about conversion therapy because they also made the reporter a lesbian, but the foundation of Winters was heavily influenced by Bly.

Nearing the end of her career Bly became the face of women's suffrage as that's what she focused on writing about as the fight for the 19th Amendment grew stronger. I believe she is one of the first feminists in the field of journalism, which is so inspiring. I am so grateful to the age of girl reporters that has allowed me to follow my passion all these years later.