U is for… Undercover

/ historicallywoman

The 1880s and 1890s were the heyday for undercover, stunt journalism. In a field where women had always been pushed to the margins (one woman was warned that men were ‘permanent industrial factors, women mere accidents’), many female journalists found their niche in the stunt genre, going undercover in often dangerous situations, and later publishing scandalous exposés.

The most famous of these so-called ‘stunt girls’ was probably Nellie Bly, who was one of the first women covered on this blog. She was a pioneer of the genre, and her daring exploits into a mental health asylum and her trip around the world heralded the start of a new era of investigative journalism.

A black and white upper body photo of Winifred Bonfils Black. She is wearing long necklace and is looking into the camera
Winifred Bonfils Black, alias Annie Laurie

Suddenly, every paper wanted a stunt girl, and there were plenty to be found.

Previously believed to be incapable of writing on harder topics, women were restricted to columns on cooking, gardening, fashion, etc. For many, this proved frustrating, as women’s literacy was increasing and their always-present will to be heard was growing restless. Stunt reporting offered them the opportunity to step out of their confines and report on real-world, human stories—and potentially do some good in the world.

Stunts such as Bly’s stint in the asylum, Annie Laurie’s time undercover as a destitute woman in a hospital, and Nell Nelson’s dedication to working in various factories led to some serious societal upheavals. Laurie documented her mistreatment in the hospital, Nelson reported on the desperate conditions and exceptionally low wages earned by women and children in factories, and they were accompanied by a chorus of other female voices all saying the same thing: something had to change.

As a result of the stunt girls, more funding was granted to hospitals, investigations were carried out into working conditions, and incredible, lasting improvements were made to the lives of workers across all sectors, particularly women workers. 

One stunt girl, known only as the ‘Girl Reporter’ posed as a pregnant woman desperately trying to get an abortion. At the time, abortion was illegal, and the paper’s (the Chicago Times) goal was to write a cautionary story about the evils of such a practice. The Girl Reporter, together with a male companion posing as her brother, would visit around 200 doctors in the course of three weeks, taking note of those who agreed to carry out the abortion, and how. Fees ranged from $40 to $250, and the Girl Reporter was met with a variety of attitudes to her supposed predicament.

Some treated her kindly, others with sneers and cold refusals. Over time, as she grew more accustomed to her role, the Girl Reporter noted a shift in her attitude towards this made-up woman’s situation. She began to care less about who was or wasn’t willing to perform an abortion, and more about the attitudes towards women in need of one.

Upon being refused point blank, she imagined saying to the doctor: “Don’t prate of virtue to me. I am as good as the rest of the world, only less lucky.”

The article was a sensation, and did in part stir up discussion about how to stamp out abortion once and for all. But names were intentionally not censored, so some readers claimed it read more as an advertisement for abortion than an indictment against it; certainly, women reading such work wouldn’t fail to notice just how common the practice still was, and how easy to access if only she had the courage to ask. 

“A man couldn’t have done it.”

‘Girl reporter’, on her abortion assignment
A Victorian-era newspaper illustration of five women. The heading reads 'For The Doctors' and the caption reads 'Guess which one of the above is the "girl reporter?"'
Published in the Chicago Times when inquiries into ‘Girl Reporter’s’ identity were made

Whatever the case, the article accomplished what the editor wanted—more circulation for the paper. This was the effect of many stunt girls; their sensationalist, oftentimes scandalous reports lured readers in, though, unfortunately, this was also an architect of the genre’s demise.

With no shortage of stunt girls, the genre became highly saturated. The public grew used to seeing such spectacles in the paper and, with their detailed, often exaggerated, illustrations, stunts started to resemble satire. It was, to put it simply, boring. 

In total, the height of stunt reporting lasted for probably less than twenty years. Almost all of the women involved reported under aliases (Annie Laurie was really Winifred Bonfils Black, Nell Nelson was Helen Cusack), some just went by initials, and others, like the ‘Girl Reporter’ were never identified. It was also a controversial genre, with many of the companies bringing lawsuits against the newspapers for their exposés. Thus, it is clear to see why it had such a relatively short lifespan, but in that time, the women certainly accomplished much.

Women were legitimised as reporters. Real change was enacted in the lives of the working classes. And these women became pioneers of investigative journalism, with a far greater impact and motivation than the moniker ‘stunt girls’ might suggest.

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