GENDER EQUALITY AND

MEDIA
A Critical analysis on objectification of
Women
In media

Nikchen Tamang
Department of
Law, University of
 What is Media?
Media is a means of mass communication, which intends to reach a mass
audience through its different platforms such as newspapers, magazines,
radio, television, & the internet and plays a vital role in our lives starting
from cartoons in our childhood to reality shows, movies, and news all
over the world in our adulthood. It influence the audience at large into
certain beliefs and manipulate them to act in a certain way that may be
detrimental or beneficial to society.
MEDIA ACT AS AN AGENT
OF SOCIAL CHANGE

B
U

?
T

How media has been playing

role in bringing
gender equality?
 The Image making by Media
 We have seen women as being projected as an object of entertainment or as beautiful
objects who have to manage the household as well as work the whole day rising from bed
till she drops dead on the bed and still she has to look beautiful
 In this era of globalization and digitalization, we sit in our homes watching new ads,
and trends and imitate those believing in what they show or say. The power of media is
sensational and can shape our opinions
 The media has created plenty of stereotypical gender inequality. In advertisements, men
are portrayed to be more powerful and always accompanied by women but women are
often shown in a sexual or vulnerable position to sell the product whether it may be an
advertisement for alcoholic beverages or shaving creams. This is not a reasonable
representation of women how they act and behave, but these types of ads can change
her perspective of how they should look like.
 Critics
 It may be argued that how one can blame media for the body image
problems of women as women also have their self-consciousness

 But media is an important force in shaping one's opinions and as such

society develops gender stereotypical representations of women and only
creates more barriers for women.
 How media uses women

The media uses women as an object of beauty and

finding women behind the camera is very rare.

We do not know about Homai On the other hand, Mandira

Vyarawalla who was first Bedi, though not a cricket
India's first female press expert became a television
photographer. anchor for the matches
Similarly, it is not a rare case where news related to the
atrocities of women is highlighted to gain TRPs.

These issues have been ignored and sensationalized from time immemorial.
 Failure of Media
o Media is the reflection of society and at the same time, it has an important role in the
socialization process. However, it has become more than an agency of social change; an agent
for the transmission of traditional patriarchal societal rules, regulations, expectations, and
gender stereotypes.
o The existing gender biases in society have become publicized and the societal age-old
expectation of women to be thin and graceful and men to be muscular and tall has been
portrayed, perpetuated, and over-emphasized in media .
o The growth and influence of all forms of media, especially those of electronic media on the
younger generation have become a negatively influencing social phenomenon .
o The potential of media for a positive impact on society has been rather under-utilized,
intentionally or unintentionally, in the modern globalized world.

- Are the women in media liberated?

The boundaries remain the same and change is only in the color of the boundary.
Hence, by and large, the media is mute on defining women's participation in
the public sphere.
 Conclusions & Suggestions
 Media a powerful agent equipped with the potential of social change shouldn't be only an agent for just
policing by maintaining the existing order following the desired and approved social control of the
dominating group(men).
 The way women are presented in media is very pathetic and these issues need to be addressed immediately
as soon as possible.
 In one study by Ammu Joseph 2010, it was revealed that there is a hierarchy of priorities in media settings.
Hence changing the priorities is necessary.
 Not only does the fact role of media need radical changes but also the women's movement has to take a
different stand altogether. Rather than asking for the right to education, vote, health, etc., it has to look into
the nature of these rights as well.
 We do need to let women determine their future by undertaking the path of emancipation. We should
empower women but not at the cost of sensitizing the men folks

Media should create consciousness among people. Instead of blaming anyone, there is a need to establish a
new society, where there should be a spirit of cooperation and supplementary as well as a complementary
relation between two equal individuals with equal opportunities for growth and development.
Thank
you