« The way this story captivated the nation has many wondering, why not the same media attention when people of color go missing? » Reid said.
Joy Reid has dubbed the news coverage of the disappearance of Gabby Petito a case of « missing white woman syndrome » and questioned if people of color involved in similar cases are given the same level of attention by the media. Petito, the 22-year-old woman who went missing while on a road trip with her boyfriend, has dominated headlines across the world over the past week. Reid discussed the latest developments in the disappearance on Monday’s ReidOut and said that while Petito’s family deserve answers and justice, missing persons cases don’t reach the same level of national attention when it involves people of color. « The way this story captivated the nation has many wondering, why not the same media attention when people of color go missing? » Reid said. « Well, the answer actually has a name: Missing White Woman Syndrome—the term coined by the late and great Gwen Ifill to describe the media and public fascination with missing white women like Laci Peterson or Natalee Holloway, while ignoring cases involving people of color.
