Newspaper Coverage of Female Genital Mutilation: Spheres of Consensus and Voices of Contention

• In Event: Ethnicity and Race Concerns Across Europe

Abstract

This paper examines the news media coverage of female genital mutilation (FGM) through a comparative analysis of two elite newspapers, one published in the United States and one in the United Kingdom. FGM is a human rights violation against women and a current problem in both the US and UK where many immigrant communities practice FGM despite laws against it. Discourse analysis sought to determine how much coverage FGM received in the newspapers, which issues were most salient, and whose voices were heard. The issues and voices most prominently featured in news coverage impact public opinion and perception of FGM. How this relates to anti-FGM activists’ ability to garner support is explored along with the implications for anti-FGM campaigns in the US and UK. Findings show a vast difference in the amount and type of coverage between the two papers and this disparity underscores the need for this comparative study.

Author

• Lynne Gayle, Georgia State University