Women of colour marginalised by "male dominated" election coverage

News coverage of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election was “heavily male dominated” with women of colour having a “very marginal presence”, according to a study by the University of Strathclyde.

In the lead up to the election, academics set out to investigate the representation of women of colour in Scottish news media for Pass the Mic, an organisation that aims to tackle the “under-representation and misrepresentation of women of colour” in Scotland’s public life and media.

Researchers found that only 1.3 per cent of all people quoted in Scottish newspapers’ election coverage were women of colour – with just 32 cited in 1384 newspaper stories. 

Across the four weeks of election coverage monitored, only three opinion pieces were written by women of colour – two of these were by regular National columnist Assa Samaké-Roman, while the other was by Pass the Mic founder, Talat Yaqoob – also in The National. 

No papers other than The National carried commentary or opinion by women of colour and men made up 74.4 per cent of experts used by television and print.

Men made up 53 per cent of all anchors, journalists and reporters involved in election stories.

It has become even more obvious that we are talked about, rather than talked to or give the mic to speak for ourselves. – Talat Yaqoob, Pass the Mic

Talat Yaqoob, of Pass the Mic, said: “The political landscape over recent years has become even more hostile towards migrants, asylum seekers, and communities of colour. We have seen political attacks and scapegoating targeting our already marginalised communities. It has become even more obvious that we are talked about, rather than talked to or give the mic to speak for ourselves. And this has harrowing consequences for how politics works and how our communities are treated.

She added: “With all of this in mind, there would be an assumption that perhaps, women of colour would be more visible, able to respond to the reality of this type of politicking, and pass the mic to talk about what our politics needs to be. Alas, no such thing has happened.”

Strathclyde University’s Dr Melody House, who conducted the research with colleagues, said: “Given the current febrile nature of politics, it is incredibly disappointing to see that women in general, and women of colour more specifically, remain so marginal to Scottish election news. The work of Pass the Mic is depressingly vital in this context.”

The university researchers examined election coverage across print and television in Scotland in the four weeks from 10 April to election day on 7 May. A total of 1505 stories were coded: 121 on television and 1384 from newspapers.