Initials for your Byline?

In the wake of everything that's happened this past week, this is really not a good time to be a woman in this country — even worse, a woman who's a journalist. Breaking tradition, our president-elect may be the U.S.'s first leader to keep the press out of the White House. It's dangerous to be part of the press.

I've spent time thinking of ways I can protect myself and protect how others perceive my writing. While I don't think I will ever have the chance to be protected if I call myself a journalist, there are small steps I can take to protect myself as a woman. Which led me to a possible solution.

Would it be wise to change my name to "C. L. Citranglo" on my bylines?

Plenty of authors use their first two initials and their last name, but I noticed this was an incredibly rare practice among journalists. I did a quick scan of popular mainstream and independent news sites (NY Times, Huff Post, Truth-Out, Democracy Now!, etc.), and I couldn't find a single journalist who had just initials for a byline (aside from the late I.F. Stone).

I know of a few women in comedy who have done similar things (Ashley Newton made her stage name Lee Newton so she would have an easier time booking comedy gigs; she noted many venues were surprised to learn she's a woman when she shows up), but I was wondering if a similar practice is an acceptable route in journalism. Does this take away transparency on behalf of the journalist and/or the publication? But at the same time, does having a full name on the byline also create a bias for the reader? Especially now since many online publications post a photo of the reporter beside their name.

I can see this becoming a problem depending on the piece. If a male is covering a story on abortion rights, I as a reader may take his writing with a grain of salt as he's not part of the affected group — at the same time, I would fear a woman writing this piece may have a direct bias in her reporting since she may be from the affected group. Not knowing the author's gender or full name may be a solution to this problem, yet it may also make me skeptical as a reader as I question why their name is hidden. And wouldn't it sound odd for me to introduce myself to a source as "C.L."?

While there doesn't appear to be a best solution in any of these scenarios, using just initials does take away the most bias when it comes to gender. It seems a bit awkward in practice, but it does take away any implications from the reader —unless your photo also appears next to your name. 

It's a tough time to be a journalist, a tough time to be a woman and an even tougher time to be a woman journalist. Despite all protections and precautions we can take, there may be no escape from discrimination.