I've never tweeted about something I found unpalatable, but I've sat on this for a week and today is the day. The subject in question, this article: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/heroes-of-the-pandemic-a-canadian-professor-has-a-peanut-butter-sniff-test-to-combat-covid-19

And this lede (see photo)

/1

I am confused, is this poor writing (party? what party? no mention of a party elsewhere really in this article), or is this some sort of gender-normative hook for the story?

If the latter - oof. It's 2020. Would you have seated three male scientists around this metaphor?

/2

That's a wasted lede. Why not lede with cool part of the story? I think peanut butter sniffing is lighthearted enough as it is.

The science.
The lack of speed in funding opportunities.
The hard work that has gone into careers and research.
The use.

All better ledes.

/3

Or this.

Pals? Are they pals?

Would it have said the same if it had been men in the article?

Colleagues?
Collaborators?
Close Colleagues?
Old friends (if you must allude to friendship here)

/4

If we are going for description, maybe we could describe her career a bit more? How much time she's spent on this project?

/5

I have a personal stake here.

I am a woman.
I have a sister, a mother and a roommate who are all accomplished scientists.

I hope no one seats them around some cocktail party for 150 words. Wasting valuable space, for what, a sweeter tone?

/6

Finally,

If indeed (because it's not clear) this lede was a metaphor, can I request a different one?

Like riding their mighty steeds into battle against a virus and a mountain of bureaucracy that many scientists face when trying to move fast with innovation.

/7