Why Do So Few Women Write Letters to the Editor?
“In many cases, the confidence men have is not particularly warranted.”
This article is a sample of the exclusive stories written for members of The Masthead, the membership program from The Atlantic (find out more).
In America, letters to the editor have been around as long as newspapers. They represent one of the country’s most basic modes of political engagement, accessible—at least in theory—to all. They are also written, overwhelmingly, by men.
Editors I contacted at , , , and told me that the vast majority of letters come from men. At , we’ve seen the same thing. (Our readership, to the . “This reflects the fact that a large majority of our letter writers are men—why, we’re not sure.”
