Highlighting Diverse Perspectives
In my eyes, the best way to promote diversity is simply to represent diverse points of view in my work, making sure that every voice has an opportunity to be heard regardless of the additional steps or added precautions gaining this point of view requires
My Work
This attention to perspective became very important when I tackled a piece about how new Iowa laws impact transgender and nonbinary students. I knew of a peer whose life had changed ever since the law was implemented, hiding their identity from teachers and requesting other students call them by their given name as well, to deter suspicion. Highlighting those who were being personally affected was important to me, but so was protecting this student's identity. They agreed to an interview on the condition that they remained anonymous in my piece, and we decided to refer to them by a singular letter: J. “[It hurts] every time someone uses my given name, and it’s even worse when I have to use it… I mean, I have to sign my given name and I have to say it out loud. And it’s just like, there is physical pain in my body whenever I have to hear it,” J said in my article. The best way to explain something is through a firsthand account, and J depicted their plight in a beautiful and moving way; something I never could have done though my own writing. |
In other articles I have worked to find the best way to quote special needs students in my school, as I wrote about a new program meant specifically for them. In my early interviews, I was unprepared for the accommodations some interviewees required. My questions were too wordy or complex, so I learned to simplify. Some of these interviews also required me to coax longer answers from my peers, asking more follow-up questions than I typically would. Other times, I had to work through different difficulties, such as quoting a nonverbal student. It was so important to me that his opinions be heard, so I emailed him questions and used brackets to contextualize his answers.
“[I was happy that Spotlighters was organized with the purpose of] letting kids like me shine," he said in the finished article. Providing a voice to students with disabilities came into play once again when I heard of an incident where two girls who use wheelchairs were unable to access the stage during a choir concert. One of the girls was willing to sit down for an interview, and I did my best to allow her to lead the conversation, filling in my story based on what was important to her. As she spoke, I understood how much she felt as though she had been overlooked and ignored before, and it became more important than ever that her voice be the centerpiece of my article. "I felt like I was just a shadow," she shared with me. "Like I wasn't even there." |
My Staff
As Editor-in-Chief, I have the ability to set guidelines for my staff, and I have used this power to encourage a greater representation of perspective on our site. Our article requirements state that each piece must have a minimum of three quotes, from interviews with at least two students. I have made a point of reminding my staff that these two individuals should offer diversity of thought to their writing. If someone quotes a member of the football team, they cannot quote another member, they must find a coach or spectator to provide a different viewpoint, even if their opinions align. Another step I have taken is to ensure that the same people are not quoted week after week. Each staff member may only quote the same person once, and they cannot only use their friends. When one student began to appear on the site too frequently, I took the initiative to effectively ban him as an interviewee until enough time had passed that I did not feel his presence on the Shield was oversaturated. I also encourage my staff to cover topics that represent diverse groups of people. As a single journalist I am unable to write about every issue or perspective that deserves coverage, but it is still absolutely necessary to provide representation to each group. This not only gives a voice to those without a platform, but provides a new perspective to readers of the Shield. I can make sure that these issues still appear on our site by providing support and help to those who choose to cover them. |
Staff Highlights:
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Dealing With Bias
To expect myself or my staff to be entirely without bias would be to set an impossible standard, but I do make sure we hold ourselves and each other accountable for our biases when reporting. If at any point I feel that the bias in an article cannot be edited out of it, I take steps immediately. The first option is to encourage the writer to take a strong stance and write it as an opinion piece, allowing them to share their true perspective rather than hide behind a mask of neutrality. Other times, I put an article through additional edits to remove biased sections and rephrase anything one-sided. This protects the integrity of our site and promotes critical thinking, serving to benefit The Spartan Shield as a whole.