A Portrayal of Women in Media

Many would agree that some strides have been made in how the media portray women in film, television and magazines, and that the last few decades have also seen a growth in the presence and influence of women in media behind the scenes. Nevertheless, female stereotypes continue to thrive in the media we consume every day.

This section of the site provides a snapshot of the issues around the media’s portrayal of women and girls — from effects on body image and self-identity to ramifications in sports and politics. It looks at the economic interests behind the objectification and eroticisation of females by media as well as efforts to counter negative stereotyping. And it provides the latest articles and studies that explore the ways in which media both limit and empower women and girls in society.

The portrayal of women in media has changed over time and has had both positive and negative impact on the image and position of women. Some mediums such as documentaries, radio, political and social content on TV, print news, digital platforms, etc. have played an essential role in ensuring a healthy public discourse on gender, dissemination of information, positive stories of women empowerment, reporting on achievements and progress of women in society.

They inform and educate society on the issues of gender and gender sensitisation. Ad content and portrayal of women in cinema are also changing by giving women lead roles, positive depiction of women, and breaking gender stereotypes. Positive stereotypes help women to become assertive, independent, and tackle gender abuse and discrimination. More brands and production houses utilise successful, career-oriented women roles, and they are mostly shown as strong and independent persons, instead of being vilified.

Nowadays, issues related to women are not discussed in media widely. Only sensational news about women is given extensive coverage, while essential discourses and discussions on women related issues never occur. According to a survey by ‘Media Cloud,’ rape receives maximum media coverage. Other social issues related to women are largely ignored. The media does not offer any serious analysis of economic conditions and inter-relationships of social issues.

Rape, dowry deaths, and other serious violence against women are framed as criminal occurrences rather than the outcomes of genital mutilation and inequality. Also, rape, child marriages, domestic violence are covered by the media if they are high-profile and involve statements from politicians or elite class personalities. Feature movies and television soap operas, still portray women in stereotypical roles as inferior, subordinate, and submissive gender. It is justified by the producers as the demand of the masses.

Front-liners of women’s movements in India have been instrumental in highlighting the sexist attitude in advertisements. Though there have been some changes in the way corporates and product companies depict women, the tendency has always been towards reinforcing traditional regressive gender roles. The fashion and cosmetics industry also plays a negative role in the gender discrimination of women.

It is only women who are expected to maintain impossible standards of physical perfection and body shape. Objectification of women’s bodies is subtly promoted by beauty pageants and the fashion industry that curtails women’s equality. Women are treated as trophies, celebrated for how they look, instead of intelligence, skill, character, and their contribution. There have been women’s rights movements in the US and around the world against beauty pageants and the stereotypes they reinforce.

The advent of the internet and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. has broadened the social space for women to raise their issues, reach out, network and collaborate for their common causes. Women blogging, NGO websites, and women platforms have advanced the empowerment of women through technology. There is also a gender digital divide creating unequal spaces in digital media. Some of the reasons for this gender gap are lack of textual literacy, the wage gap, lack of context in local languages, gender division of labour causing time constraints for women, etc.

Women’s Rights Online Network, women are 50% less likely to access the internet than men. At the same time, the same platforms reinforce gendered online behaviours and sex-role stereotypes. Women who voice strong opinions on women’s issues are exposed to verbal abuses and threats of violence. Social media also tends to create negative body image and low self-esteem by emphasising obsessive celebrity culture, physical perfection, and beauty.

What is more, women do not know where to report such issues and how to deal with them. Women subjected to such cyber crimes and problems are vulnerable to mental health issues such as emotional stress, depression, and hypertension, further affecting their lives. Trolling on social media of women who defy sexism and gender bias is another dangerous trend that has to be taken note of. Trolls are abusers who push defamatory, personally abusive content targeting individuals.

Women, especially those who voice non-mainstream and anti-modernisation views, are trolled exceptionally on social platforms. The e-mail spoofing would be cause substantial monetary loss. Regular phishing, the attempt to gain sensitive information such as a username and password and intent to obtain personal information, becomes a major threat for women in the digital world.

At the end of the day, both the representation of women in media positions and the media’s portrayal of women in news articles remains far from ideal. If we are to achieve meaningful strides in woman’s rights, a sizeable portion of the responsibility lies on the shoulders of journalists. As I said before, the public good and responsible journalism must always be at the forefront of our minds.

There can be no implication of women deserving the violence in question; instead of splattering it across the pages of newspapers, the rumours or details about the private life of women must stay exactly that, private. Any expressions, statements or wordings that can lead to a perception of justifying or understanding the perpetrator must be avoided completely. Do not sprinkle such excusing terms as rage, infidelity, passion, anger, unemployment, bankruptcy, jealousy and honour in the news article.