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Guest Post: Freelance journalism’s ‘leaky pipe’ for women

Guest post written by Eilidh Akilade

Illustration by Heedayah Lockman

I didn’t expect late nights nursing an outbox stuffed with tentative pitch follow-ups and apologetic edits. Instead, I expected clichéd markers of EDI failings: condescending white men in leadership roles, dated language, and HR interventions. While Scotland’s journalism isn’t devoid of such occurrences, finding my way in the industry as a young woman of colour has had its surprises – it’s earned both my anger and my love.

Community pulled me here and has kept me here. Starting out, I looked up to a select handful of women writers – primarily women of colour, many of whom were based in Scotland like myself. I read and re-read their work; traced and re-traced their career paths. An over-reliance on representation can lead to surface-level changes but, undeniably, studying the success of those who looked like me made success seem possible for me. Whether via a Twitter DM or commission, they taught me how to pitch, write, and edit, and did so with a rare kindness. I’ve continued to turn to them in times of uncertainty, my steady guides in the choppy waters of freelance writing. My career would be a lot poorer if not for them. It’s a generosity I hope to return to other writers; there’s a sense that – as we wade through this whitewashed, male-dominated industry – we’re all looking out for one another.

I’ve found myself on the odd media mentorship scheme, six-month stints buoyed by scheduled Zoom calls and goal-setting surveys. Although fruitful, formal mentorship is often outshone by informal mentorship in journalism – but certain structures must be present for the latter to exist: for me, opportunities for connection and well-paid work.

Besides, there’s only so many journalism internships or development schemes to add to your belt. Eventually, that early career shine begins to fade. The Equal Media and Culture Centre report notes that the mid-career stage is particularly crucial for women, navigating changes in responsibility both in and out of work. In such murky waters, one thing is clear – there’s simply not much support within it. The report refers to a ‘leaky pipeline’, in which a lack of sustainable career progression leads to people leaving these sectors. Talent is lost in each uncaught drip.

And journalism training isn’t known for its ease of access. Seminars and workshops are often costly and unsurprisingly time-consuming. Meanwhile, with many large media companies now relying heavily on freelance writers, training opportunities – those that may be offered to staff writers – are rare. Career stagnation settles in. There’s a lot to be learned from honing one’s craft alone – trial and error, especially error – but, oftentimes, external guidance, and tuition is pivotal.

As noted by the EMCC report, diverse, inclusive, and transparent recruitment practices are key – however, there’s little data on freelance opportunities. With commissions often flung out casually, it’s unclear which individuals are reaping the regular rewards. I’m thankful to often write for editors of marginalised genders, many of whom are also people of colour. With such individuals in leadership positions, writers of all backgrounds are given a voice – and not merely as a one-time checkbox.

However, amid the closure of independent publications such as gal-dem – in addition to countless smaller publications – and the ever-unstable funding of independent media, the space for marginalised folks’ stories has been shrunk down. The priority, it seems, is oftentimes trend reporting and sponsored content.

The public and the press have an appetite for women’s stories, especially those narrating difficult experiences and written by marginalised groups. Narratives of female empowerment are permitted, so long as they’re preceded by disempowerment. Eager for career progression, my weekday evenings were too often spent with frantic hands stuttering out an overly personal pitch on a desperately worn keyboard. While support and safeguarding are necessary in such situations, we also deserve a media that values our voices and our thoughts – not simply our clickbait-worthy tragedy.

Avoiding the pull towards such writing is difficult in this precarious landscape. Low pay forces marginalised communities out of any industry – and journalism is no different. Varying from publication to publication, freelance rates are unpredictable. Full-time employment, whether as a staff writer or editor, can also be poor.

Growing up watching glossy noughties films helmed by young women journalists – The Devil Wears Prada, Thirteen Going on Thirty – it’s difficult to conceive that some decades later, such careers are near mythical. The majority of women journalists I know seem to squeeze commissions around part and full-time employment, or piece together somewhat full-time earnings through endless freelance commissions, stretching beyond the traditional nine to five. It’s unsustainable. These working patterns don’t accommodate for the demands of caring responsibilities and, as found by EMCC’s report, such responsibilities often impact women more than men. Moreover, the report notes, freelance or contract work can affect entitlement to or provisions for care and parental leave. The ‘leaky pipe’ threatens a flood.

I want more. Better opportunities, better pay, better support – and it feels ungrateful to admit it (a concern I’m unsure would be shared to the same extent by white folks or men). Community can hold us, but we need the hours in the day to welcome its embrace. Equality is not simply lodging your foot in the door, refusing to step backwards; I want the door to be opened wide, welcoming women and other marginalised groups in. I want industry leaders who look like us and listen to what we need and want – and, then, to act on it.

Eilidh Akilade is a writer and arts worker from and based in Glasgow. She is currently Intersections Editor at The Skinny and her work can be found in publications such as MAP Magazine, Gutter, Extra Teeth, gal-dem and Dazed, amongst others. In 2022, she was awarded PPA Scotland’s Young Journalist of the Year. Her debut pamphlet, Nitpicking, is forthcoming with Rosie’s Disobedient Press in 2025.

Read the Equal Media and Culture Centre’s new report ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: women in media, creative and cultural sectors in Scotland.‘