The Washington Post is now launching “The Lily,” a publication named after the first US newspaper produced by women back in the 19th century. This new publication for millennial women plans to “boldly reimagine the Post’s award-winning journalism” through a female lens.
The Lily will be debuting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Medium, and will also have a twice-weekly newsletter called Lily Lines. “For years, The Post has featured extraordinary content relevant to all aspects of women’s lives – from the big stories that affect us all to the individual interests that shape who we are,” said Amy King, editor of The Lily at The Washington Post. “The Lily gives us an opportunity to spotlight that work in a new way, packaging it for women who are interested in that type of content and sharing it on platforms that help foster community.”
King goes on to say that The Lily is already reaching success, with a following of over 175,000 people on Facebook alone. It has a dedicated staff of writers, editors, designers, and videographers who capture the stories they plan to share with their readers. The work will mainly focus on issues such as women’s health and gender equality.
Tracy Grant, deputy managing editor at The Post, says, “By launching under a different brand, we can give The Lily its own voice, more freely experiment with how we present Post journalism, and see if we can capture a new audience we wouldn’t otherwise have.” With this new development, the post seems to be looking to and planning ahead for the future of journalism.
Giving The Lily “its own voice,” as Grant puts it, is definitely a smart move. Women’s voices need to be heard. Women need to be telling their own stories. Creating a new platform, slightly separate from The Post but just as equal, is a great way to achieve this.
At NYMM, we write about women and girls globally in order to lift them up and empower them. Our hope is that we can contribute to the fight for gender equality in some way. Intersectionally and unapologetically, the Lily plans to do the same by making art and reporting that illuminate the issues women face every single day, from workplace inequality to health care. Regardless of race, sexuality, or religion, all women will be represented.
One editor simply states, “We need The Lily because female genital mutilation and child marriage happen every day. Because countless girls lack access to education and health case. Because sexual assault is a threat every day on college campuses. We need The Lily because so many women struggle silently against domestic abuse. We need The Lily because these stories must be told.”
Needless to say, we here at NYMM couldn’t agree more.
Featured Image by New America on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
