USA: Washington Post’s action against reporter Felicia Sonmez exposes the negligence and recklessness women journalist are treated with
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NOTE: The statement has been updated with additional facts.
USA, Washington D.C., January 28, 2020 — The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the online harassment of Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez and the events that have ensued. Felicia received immense hate over her Kobe Bryant tweets that featured sexual harassment accusations against him. The tweet picked heat online very quickly leading to threats against Felicia. The reporter faced suspension and was sent on an administrative leave by the publication. In the meantime, the Post reviewed if the tweets related to Kobe Bryant violated their newsroom’s social media policy.
Felicia has been the national political reporter for the Washington Post. She deserved a more considerate approach from the management especially given the circumstances that emerged from the online trolling she had to face. We urge Washington Post to take back their decision and ensure Felicia’s security in the wake of the threats.
“However, her decision to share the article about the accusation that dogged Bryant early in his career – and ultimately resulted in him reaching a financial settlement with his accuser – drew a furious and widespread backlash, including death threats, from fans of the player. Many felt the tweet came too soon after the death on Sunday of Bryant alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others,” reported The Guardian.
According to the New York Times, Felicia “also posted what appeared to be a screenshot of an email she had received that used offensive language, called her a lewd name and displayed the sender’s full name. She deleted the three tweets after being told to do so by Tracy Grant, the newspaper’s managing editor, but not before other journalists captured them in screen shots… The Post confirmed the paid suspension on Monday, but didn’t specify which of the tweets had prompted it to take action.”
The Washington Post Newspaper Guild condemned the treatment Felicia has received by the publication. They have shared their dismay at the lack of consideration by the Washington Post and have demanded for Felicia’s safety.
“In its social media guidelines, the Post reminds staffers that their accounts “reflect upon the reputation and credibility of the newsroom” and reiterated a longtime newsroom mantra that journalists are not the story,” Vanity Fair reports.
The onslaught of abuse Felicia has been subjected to is appalling. No journalist deserves to be threatened and harassed for their opinions on social media. Several journalists have condemned the act by the Washington Post and have urged for them to reinstate their employee.
The tweets by Felicia, which were later deleted, have received immense hate and resulted in getting “ratio’d”, which means a tweet that has gained traction in terms of replies garnering negative and divisive reception.
American President Donald Trump’s son is also one of the criticizers of Felicia’s tweet. He wrote, "You Washington Post reporters really can’t help yourselves, can you?"
"It's astonishing what sort of thought process, discussion and discourse lead to this decision. Although there seems to be very little thought gone into this," said CFWIJ founder Kiran Nazish. "In any event, we respect the Washington Post as an ethical and inclusive institution, and expect the Post to reconsider looking deeply in the issue. It would make a fair sense to reverse the decision and invest in support for Felicia while she has gone through a barrage of online trolling."
Sonmez had only tweeted an article titled “Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession” published in the Daily Beast. She has not written the article, yet received so much abuse for merely sharing it on her Twitter.
This trend of abusing, threatening and doxing journalists, especially women journalists, for merely sharing a social media post is getting dangerous day by day. Women journalists are vulnerable to online hate now more than ever. It is high time for social media companies, particularly Twitter, to take strict actions instead of making mere claims of prioritizing security and protection of users.
The entire situation since the issue went viral has exposed the lack of understanding and support for women journalist within an influential American media corporation. The environment in which women journalists work demands them to prove themselves everyday. The journalism and media industry must do more to support their women employees rather than giving into the pressures coming from online trolls and harassers.
We, at CFWIJ, demand that Felicia is not censored. We demand for her reinstatement as the Washington Post’s reporter, as well as guarantee of her safety owing to the threats she has received.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
