Thakur Shyamnarayan College of Education and Research (TSCER)

B.Ed Programme
IC-1
Assignment -2
Name of Student – Teacher – Hemangi Amey Gangnaik
Roll No. – 08
Semester – I
Batch – 2021-2023
Subject – IC-1
Topic - Critical analysis of depiction of women in mass media.
Date of Submission – 5th May, 2022
Professor-In Charge – Ms. Rukminee Yadav Ma’am

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Abstract.
Women in all types of media tend to be thin and sexualized. They talk less than men. They
have fewer opinions. And they are far less likely, in the entertainment industry, to play roles
as leaders or professionals, or even as women who work for a living.
The portrayal of women in media advertisements, over the decades, has been
about unrealistic body images, sexual objectification, physical beauty, and family roles.
Around the world, women are far less likely than men to be seen in the media. As subjects of
stories, women only appear in a quarter of television, radio, and print news. In a 2015 report,
women made up a mere 19% of experts featured in news stories and 37% of reporters telling
stories globally.
I worked on visual and print media. In visual media, I selected ads and films, whereas in print
media, I selected magazines and newspapers. I selected this area because women are depicted
wrong mainly in ads and films which influences the thinking of people living in the society
about women. Also, newspapers and magazines are common print media where the women
are portrayed in wrong manner.

Acknowledgement.
 Thakur Shyamnarayan College of Education and Research and it’s trustees
 Principal Madam – Dr.Megha Gokhe Madam
 Professor In-charge - Ms. Rukminee Yadav Madam
 My parents, family and friends
 Almighty god.

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Index
Sr.No. Table of Content Page Numbers
1 Self-Introduction 1
2 Abstract & Acknowledgement 2
3 Introduction 4-5
4 Women in Ads 5-6
5 Women in Films 7-8
6 Women in Newspapers 9-10
7 Women in Magazines 10-11
8 Need to voice out for change 12
9 Conclusion/Recommendation 13
10 Self-reflection & References 13

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Introduction
GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN MEDIA AND GENDER IDENTITY DEVELOPED BY
MEDIA.
Media play important roles in society. They report on current events, provide frameworks for
interpretation, mobilise citizens with regard to various issues, reproduce predominant culture
and society, and entertain. As such, the media can be an important factor in the promotion of
gender equality, both within the working environment (in terms of employment and
promotion of female staff at all levels) and in the representation of women and men (in terms
of fair gender portrayal and the use of neutral and non-gender specific language).
Fair gender portrayal in the media should be a professional and ethical aspiration, similar to
respect for accuracy, fairness and honesty. Yet, unbalanced gender portrayal is widespread.
Women are more likely than men to be featured as victims in news stories and to be
identified according to family status. Women are also far less likely than men to be featured
in the world’s news headlines, and to be relied upon as ‘spokespeople’ or as ‘experts’.
Certain categories of women, such as the poor, older women, or those belonging to ethnic
minorities, are even less visible.

Stereotypes are also prevalent in every day media. Women are often portrayed solely as
homemakers and carers of the family, dependent on men, or as objects of male attention.
Stories by female reporters are more likely to challenge stereotypes than those filed by male
reporters.

Men are also subjected to stereotyping in the media. They are typically characterised as
powerful and dominant. There is little room for alternative visions of masculinity. The media
tends to demean men in caring or domestic roles, or those who oppose violence.

Such portrayals can influence perceptions in terms of what society may expect from men and
women, but also what they may expect from themselves. They promote an unbalanced vision
of the roles of women and men in society.

INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN.

Media, since it is the most dominant medium of entertainment consumed among children, is
perhaps the most influential way children internalize many gender role stereotypes. Studies
use of media and the socialization of children reveal that television has a significant influence
in the lives of children. When a child’s view on how the world works is derived from their
perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours around them, there is no doubt that young children
spending an average of 30 hours a week watching media will get influenced.

Children who see women in media content who are passive, indecisive and are shown inferior
to men and who see this intensified by their environment are likely to conclude that this is the
best way for women to behave. If female children rarely see these characteristics created,
they are more likely to create autonomy, initiative and industriousness. Likewise, since male

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characters are more likely to be demonstrated in leadership positions and show powerful,
decisive actions in media, children learn that this is the correct way for men to act.

NEED TO FOCUS ON THESE ISSUES SERIOUSLY.

Media has a socializing influence on children regarding their attitudes toward gender roles.
Accepting these rigid assumptions about the roles and characteristics of women and men has
substantial effects for the growth of childhood, adolescence and adulthood. When children
reach puberty, the media offers guidance about how they are supposed to act in romantic and
sexual contexts, and these guidances are heavily gendered. Gender stereotyping seen in
media, in turn, is reinforced by parents, peers and school, which adds to the child's sense of
what it means to be male or female in society. Media sends strong and compelling messages
about socially acceptable gender roles, which are frequently stereotypical, biased and
irrelevant. As children continue to develop and grow, they are increasingly subjected to such
gender inequalities and stereotypes. Traditional gender roles, in which men are encouraged to
be decisive and display leadership, while women are encouraged to be deferential and
dependent, do not help anyone, particularly women. Traditional gender roles discourage the
full spectrum of expression and achievement. There are many ways to counteract gender
stereotypes and encourage positive gender representation, including presenting counter-
stereotyping, talking to children about media content, and providing media literacy education.
Children should be able to build a sense of self in a gender-fair atmosphere that promotes all
to feel valued and a part of society.

Critical Analysis of depiction of women in mass media with examples.

Portrayal of women in mass media.

Visual Print Media.
1. Women in Ads.

The Slice advertisement uses the sexual connotation associated with certain sweet food items
such as chocolates and applies it to mangoes. This sexuality is also evident through the semi-
bare Katrina Kaif in the ad. Here, the woman is portrayed as a sexual object.

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This ad deliberately say “Jab isse bhuk lagti hai toh ye ekdum heroine ban jaata hai”. What
do they mean by ‘tu heroine ban jaata hai?’. In the ad, Sonam Kapoor acts like a stereotypical
delicate, crabby woman who, that a man becomes when he gets hungry. Basically, he doesn’t
remain masculine and man enough. This ad depicts women character wrongly.

Wild Stone Men’s deodorants showcased women being attracted to the man who had liberally
sprayed himself with the product. It portrays women as a sexual object.

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Women in Films.

Mission Mangal is a 2019 film directed by Jagan Shakti, loosely based on the Mars Orbiter
Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan, a space mission by Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) to send a satellite to Mars. It was the first mission of its kind to succeed
in the first attempt. 
This “feminist” film seems to be a rather misogynistic one instead. For one, the director feels
the need to place Akshay Kumar as the film’s central character and portray him as a genius
even though most of the ideas are produced by Vidya Balan’s character.
Out of the “complex” characters created, none are queer, none are dark skinned, even though
the photograph the director claims to be inspired by, primarily consists of dark-skinned
women.

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The Lipstick Under My Burkha is a “bold” film in the Indian context is incontestable. It
shows women looking for sex, enjoying it, looking for freedom from oppression, looking
to be able to smoke and drink freely, looking for the chance to earn a living and be good at
it.

Kahaani is a movie that broke all the stigmas associated with women’s presence in
Bollywood’s action films. Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi plays the lead role in the
movie Kahaani (2012), breaking the typecast where a hero is the one performing
hypermasculinity, complete with big biceps, a beard, performing daredevil stunts and saving
the damsel in distress. In Kahaani, Vidya Balan breaks that stereotype and stands out as the
actual hero(ine). The male leads stood aside while Vidya blazed forward. 

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Women in Print Media
Newspapers

This news shows the courage and bravery of a girl against the eve-teasers.
Inspired by this news, a tv show is made and named after the girl’s name.

This news shows the rape case on 18 year-old girl who is 2 months pregnant. Proper
counselling should be provided to the girl and the criminal should be severely punished so
that such cases don’t happen again and again.

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This news shows gender stereotyping in employment at government level. Such practices
should be stopped so that gender equality is promoted in the country.

Magazines

This is a 90’s magazine depicting women with skin showing clothes on its cover page.

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This is a 20th century magazine depicting women in bold manner showing
private parts on its cover page.

This is also a 20th century magazine showing women in clothes revealing most of the
women’s body parts.
All the magazines covers mostly have images of women showing skin as a sexual object
which is a wrong way of portraying women.

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Need to voice out for change.
a) Socio-psychological perspective /concern.
Portrayal of women in film, television, newspaper and other media is not the beyond
of human being concern. As we all come across daily to these media. They are
portraying women as commodities and sex objects. Several socio-cultural variables
such as character role, abuse of women are presented every day. These types of
abuses (such as sati and dowry, slavery, rape, dancing girl) more likely to be featured
in Indian settings rather than non-Indian settings in most feature films.

Although numerous inter-related social factors might contribute to one’s perceptions

of others, mass media portrayals undoubtedly play a very significant role in
influencing people’s attitudes towards out-groups, especially when presented in very
realistic ways in media such as films, newspapers and journals. Media is today
considered as a culture industry, which manufactures and sells out the images of
masculinity and femininity is the reality. But the image of women portrayed by the
media through TV serials, pop shows, films and newspapers, is not to be found in real
life," He also set the ball rolling by raising the question that whether media, itself a
watchdog, needs another watchdog to monitor it.
b) Cultural, Moral and Personal values inculcated in young minds in
India.
The influence of the media on the psychosocial development of children is profound.
Thus, it is important for physicians to discuss with parents their child’s exposure to
media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including
television, radio, music, video games and the Internet.

Women’s participation, performance and portrayal are the important domains need to
focus for the social science researchers of modern time, particularly for the feminists.
Because for the empowerment and development of the women. It is very important to
give them proper environment where they can raise their voices against the
inequalities and the gender-gap they are facing in our male dominated or patriarchal
societies. Reconstruction of women’s image, in every aspect, are the demand of
present days.

Media can portray all the problems faced by women, these can give a space for
women to talk about their rights or freedoms and most essentially media can provide a
democratic atmosphere where women can participate, represent their womanhood and
in which they will be portrayed positively.

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Conclusion/Recommendation.
A positive women’s portray in media is necessary to uphold the real dignity and status
of women which will minimise the gap and disparities between men and women, But
if media also become male dominated or work as a mere agent to forward this
stereotype culture (tradition) then the whole situation will be against the women
where their progress and empowerment will not be possible. Overall effect of the
women’s portrayal in media is to reinforce rather than reduce prejudices and stereo
types. The mass media in India has not made adequate efforts to discuss serious issues
concerning women and prepare the women to play their rightful and equal role in
society. To change this condition, it is necessary to monitor the media and point out
the merits and demerits continuously.

Self-reflection.

This assignment helped me to learn about how various types of mass media portray
women. I searched for magazines, news, films and ads which depict women in either
positive or negative way. This helped me in developing my analytical and critical
thinking skills. It also helped me to understand the impact of media on youth and
society and its effect on our day to day life.

References.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
331247793_WOMEN_AND_MEDIA_IN_INDIA

https://lexforti.com/legal-news/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Role-and-potrayal-of-
women-in-Indian-mass-media.pdf

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