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| Changing Portrayal of Women and Gender Role | |||||||
| Paper Id :
16905 Submission Date :
19/12/2022 Acceptance Date :
23/12/2022 Publication Date :
25/12/2022
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| Abstract | Mass media can be studied in its various roles as an agent of social change ,a reflector of dominant values, and as a reinforce of dominant values. By indirectly projecting the social norms on how women are expected to behave , television commercial s have reproduced patriarchal values in India which are reinforced through the glamorization and naturalization of women’s domestic roles, by glorifying the role of mother , by portraying women in public life in soft role and subordinate jobs, and popularizing the image of women as sex objects and objects of beauty. Changes should be made in the way television in India portrays women to reflect their changing roles and positions in society. | ||||||
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| Keywords | Storyline, Screening, Portrayal, Traditional. | ||||||
| Introduction |
Media plays very important role to generate social awareness . In today’s world of multimedia television has appear as an important tool of communication of knowledge and information . The main purpose of television to educate , entertain and give information about various fields to viewers. Television has a more completely and conclusive impact on its viewers especially on women. |
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| Aim of study | 1. To analysis the media content and changing role in portrayal of women with pessage of time. 2. To analysis stereotype gender role. To analyse that most of home task like cook food , look after kids, husband , in laws , carry food to the field for men done by women. | ||||||
| Review of Literature | An article in Women’s Web by Amrita Rajan cited by the
researcher on April 5, 2017 quotes Information and Broadcasting Minisre
Ambika Soni comment “ shocked by some of serials she
sees on air.” In the case study on Gender , mass media and social change
: a case study of T.V commercials by Gupta A.K ,Jain N. In a write up by Behera S.K on Gender role biases
on Indian television. Larson (1996) investigates the role of soap operas in
representing the role played by a single mother. John (1998) discusses some alternate routes to address
feminism in India as western concept of feminism is not appropriate in Indian
context . The divegences in the conceptual legacies of
western and Indian feminism are also discussed. Kumar and Varghese (2005) state that Indian media
represents docile image of women. She is presented submissive and easily
manageable. They are of the view that mass media should begin the process of
women empowerment in modern world. Kaul and Sahni (2010) analyzed the portrayal of women in T.V serials and the impact of these serials on the viewers of Jammu. Women are one of the most oppressed segments of humanity in the developing as well as developed world. Discussions on the rights of women are considered as threat to man’s position in society . Women are oppressed not only at economic, social and political grounds corrupt , rarely pious and mostly involved in tempting others. The remedies suggested by the secular societies such as equality of sexes , equal opportunities in employment and right to divorce have not led to substantial gains for women (Ahmed , 1991) Gender stereotypes change outcome: A systematic
literature review by K.G Priyashantha 2021 This finding reaveal that the
out comes from Gender stereotypes can be categories mainly under the main
themes of family and children, marriage and equality and
women empowerment. Media and the Development of
Gender Role stereotypes by L.M Ward 2020
Media contributions to
Development of Gender stereotypes in women, children and adolescent. |
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| Main Text | Portrayals of Women in Media There have been several studies of the media with
refrence to the manner in which they present women. These studies have found
the media guilty of sexism, distortion of the image of women and propagation of
sex stereotypes. Usually the women are shown as playing a secondary and passive
role in various programs, episodes and films. They are depicted as mother ,
housewives etc. The reality reconstructed by the media , does not match
the one encountered by women in their daily life. There is a great difference
between the reality of day to day life and so called reality by the media . In
the media most realities have and desired reconciliations, which
unfortunately do not occurs often enough in our lives. Portrayals of Women in Television Disparity in actual living conditions of women and those
presented over the medium of television is perplexing and disquieting at the
very least. One can see for on self the truth in the argument that
television programming does not include the image of working class woman or
peasant woman. What required is the whole some depiction of various
categories of women . Those who belong to different background , perform
different types of work and play multiple roles in their day to day
life ,all ought be shown. Viewers have to be provided with these images least
they believe that only limited roles exist for women in society. Consider another interesting aspect of television
programs like the most common attributes that could be ascribed to the male and
female characters. Krishnan and Dighe (1990) , analysed the plots of fictional
programs and films telecast during a sample period where the analysis had shown
the “ ideal woman’’ was caring , concerned ,
maternal , supportive, helped her husband to achieve his goals and did not have
ambitions of her own. She was sacrificing, unquestioning, submissive, pretty,
charming and devoted to the husband. This ideal women won everybody’s approval , where as the
deviant women became the outcast. How the Portrayal of Women in Media has Changed When it comes to T.V , we ‘ve made enormous progress _
but it’s coming from a very low base . Over the course of the history of T.V
advertising , women have been defined in very narrow roles. When I started in
T.V advertising , people were so dismissive about women. That was partly
indicative of the problems women were firmly placed in the domestic
sphere , talking animatedly about cleaning and housework. Of course, you also
had the female sex object. Women are also often shown as the family nurturer,
which is something that men were not allowed to be either. This is a
problem for both genders .There have been some real strides in that recently ,
where ads show men in a much nurturing rule. Scope and Limitation of The Research The research is a reflective study on the portrayal of
women in television (changing dimensions with time) . The notion
cannot be denied that gender role biases in Indian television have served to
reinforce and even enhance the degradation of women in the broader society.
Often female characters in television series were housewives, secretaries,
teachers, or nurses. Women were featured more often than men in Indian
commercials , yet were shown performance stereotyped female activities such as shopping
,preparing meals, and dressing to obtain the sexual approval of men. This sex
role stereotyping in the media is seriously impending the struggles of women in
India to achieve economic and political autonomy. To promote more positive role
modelling and change women self image , Indian television must move immediately
to portray women achieving self – image , Indian television must move
immediately to portray women achieving self realization through their carrers
and social participation and to depict cooperation between men and women
in performing household chores. Thus ,researcher believes that it is vital to analyze the
projection trends to emboss the dominant images and their effects on real life.
The scope of research thus increases. Besides various parameters of the research , the shortcomings cannot be overviewed. One of the biggest constrains in the research process is time period . Being a small scale study , only portrayal of women in electronic media will be studies and analyzed despite of huge data from various mediums. Being a curriculum assignment our research is bound by a specific time limit. In nutshell the research will try to examine the impact of television portrayals on real life grounds. The research aims to diagnose whether viewing of such portrayals and specific gender roles effects human psychology on real life. Are portrayals of women hood changing with time or they are still stereotypical in their nature. Thus television promotes healthy communication and dialogue in society against vulnerable groups is the main concern of the study. |
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| Methodology | 1. Content analysis is an increasingly popular method for communication researchers.
2. An intensive interview (or “in depth interview”) is a qualitative research technique that is typically done face –to-face and uses flexible, open-ended questions to explore the respondent’s perspectives on a particular idea or situation.
Parameters for conducting interviews-
1. Women portrayal at home and family.
2. Women and occupation.
3. Change in physical Appearance.
4. Change in Attires.
5. Change in Gender role.
6. Breaking the stereotype regarding women.
7. Change in portrayal of women. |
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| Analysis | To understand the trend of portrayal of women the
researcher has chosen 4 clippings of star plus and showed them to
research audience to stimulate results .After analyzing the collected data the
researcher noted that the portrayal of women in media has undergone a change to
some extent in past years. Clipping 1 _ Clipping of the star theme song 2002 After collecting the responses on the question by
interviewee’s the researcher found that out of 8 opinions many marked her as a
symbol of beauty to attract viewers. Researcher noted that all responses have
one thing in common Portrayal of women around family inside the threshold
of the house. Her world is somewhere shown confined to her family. Women
wearing expensive saris, decked from head to toe in gold ,holding a “thaali”
containing fruits and flowers and praying sincerely for the welfare of their
husbands and his family. This is the typical portrait of a woman in India
Television (T.V) serials; a perfect wife, perfect mother and perfect
daughter-in-law who showers love on all her loved ones and is an icon of purity
and devotion for the audience. While analyzing the vedios researcher felt
that in the above clipping men is shown as a bread winner for the family where
roles of women are confined to the four walls of the house. Thus the researcher
concluded in the initial clipping (2002) the portrayal was inclined towards the
traditional representation . The portrayals were not challenging gender roles
and creating dissonance in the mind of viewers. As the need of an time women
were objectified as symbol of attraction happy in her confined world. Clipping 2 Son of Devki Modern approach towards portrayal of womanhood
challenging the age old notion of patriarchy in the society . Breaking the
stereotype of carrying fathers name the clipping voice the rights of a
mother putting the question-Why not her name associated any further in life? In
public domain. The interviewee’s here
marked that the clipping somewhere tries to break the age old stereotypes
regarding womanhood and somewhere sowing the seed of equality in the minds of
people. The general trend the researcher marked here is equality and respect to
woman which is somewhere missing in previous clipping. Clipping 3 – Hurdels ‘Nayi soch ‘ as the name suggest showcases women breaking all the myths of gender roles and portraying herself as an equal being for every kind of role. The researcher believed that this current clipping of star plus is challenging its own portrayals in the initial clipping . In the journey of more than one decade the channel itself projected a positive change in portrayal which is vital for development holistically. |
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| Findings | Findings are purely based on the qualitative analysis and the sampled clippings and the results of the intensive interviews performed by the researcher. Breaking the Utopia Image of Women Stereotype of perfect daughter, perfect wife ,perfect daughter-in-law drawn from previous soap operas are now changing. Now , serials are trying to show the more realistic image of a women . No one has learned anything from the womb. Soap operas are described as a slice-of-a-life. In initial clipping from 2003 attire of the characters of serials were not at all realistic. | ||||||
| Conclusion | The result of the study indicate that the role of women in television has changed over the decades . Although , woman in India ,are portrayed as traditional and stero typical over the decade as proved by initial 2003 official clipping from Star Plus . Thus the researcher believes changes in portrayal and gender roles are going on slow but steady. The research study revealed that Television channels are walking with that change and it will be safe to say that they are initiating the change from with in which is accelerating the rate of development . That shows alter the portrayals not only in their corporate Social Responsibility launched their brand philosophy NAYI SOCH , the new vision which reflects on their fresh storylines altering portrayal of womanhood ,changing gender roles and eventually fighting against the stereotypes associated with womanhood. So it’s not too far when all the channels will join this change . The researcher firmly believes that a larger- than – life picture of many aspects of Indian society and its culture are portrayal in these serials: relationship , emotions, festivities, costumes etc. In present they have started highlight different issues and taboos in our society and its culture are portrayal in these serials: relationships, emotions, festivities, costumes, etc. In present they have started highlight different issues and taboos in our society and raises questions about the same which is some where leading to behavioural change, a prerequisite to holistic development. Thus the objectives of the study get fulfilled. The researcher in his final conclusion states that at this juncture of time change is not optional but mandatory and thanks to mass appealing media channels for voicing the change daily by their different product lines. In a country like India where hundreds of stereotypes and dominant images are attached with womanhood it is necessary to voice against them for substantial growth of woman and womanhood. The clippings sampled by the researcher clearly indicates the liberation of image and thus researcher feels safe to mark that with passage of time the image of womanhood is altered and liberated . But the change is yet to come and on the ending note researcher feels optimistic that it will come soon. | ||||||
| References | 1. Ahmed ,A (2012,June) . Women and soap-operas : Popularity , portrayals and perception . International Journal of Scientific and Research Publication.
2. Chaturvedi,S,& Chakrabarty ,s.(2013, October-December ) .Delincation of Women In Indian Serials. International Journal of Applied Services Marketing Perspective.
3. Kandpal,A.(2014,August 28 ) Women in Daily Soaps : The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
4. Rajan .A.(2010, May 26 ) Indian T.V serial are delighting in regressive portrayals of women , with working women totally absent. What’s really happening?
5. Women’s Web: http://www.womensweb.in/articles/the-women-of-indian-television/
6. http://enculturation.net/teaching-mcluhan)
7. Links of Reviewed clippings of Star plus –“Nayi Soch ‘’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=fqVSmA-qgd8
8. STAR PARIVAAR AWARDS 2012 OFFICIAL TITLE SONG (NAYI SOCH KI CHALILEHER)
https://www.you tube.com/watch?v= 6L-Uy5umZ9A
9. Gender stereotypes change outcome: A systematic literature review by K.G Priyashantha 2021
10. Media and the Development of Gender Role stereotypes by L.M Ward 2020 |
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