CNN removes story about women's hormones affecting voting

The article based on unpublished research was swiftly decried and mocked online

Published October 25, 2012 4:27PM (EDT)

  (Shutterstock)
(Shutterstock)

Following widespread ridicule, CNN has removed a story published online Wednesday about whether hormones could influence female voting choices.

The piece by Elizabeth Landau looked at unpublished research that suggested female voting behavior was affected by whether a woman was ovulating on Election Day, or as our own Jillian Rayfield  put it Wednesday, whether "their lady parts might be doing the voting for them." As Poynter noted Thursday, CNN has taken down the post and put up a notice stating that "after further review it was determined that some elements of the story did not meet the editorial standards of CNN."

Poynter notes that CNN has not elaborated on which precise elements in Landau's post fell short of its standards.


By Natasha Lennard

Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com.

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Cnn Election 2012 Hormones Media Criticism Women Women's Health