This age which is full of validation which is available at a click on mobile phones, the representation of a particular gender or a human becomes the most important thing on social media.Any means of communication that reaches a large audience
comes under mass media, which has become a significant force in modern culture.
Multimedia today forms the basis of our society.
The Portrayal of Women
Today the way women are shown
in media is different from earlier times whether it is movies or
advertisements, things have worsened over the period. The portrayal of women in
mass media today is to enhance the appeal of the product without regard to the
interest of women in general.
The media portrays women as objects and it is
surprising to see them in advertisements related products like cement so that
they can attract the attention of the viewers.
More and more women are being
portrayed as commodities rather than as individuals which sets a very dangerous
precedent for our society. Such portrayal leads to unrealistic expectations by
men about how women should look and behave.
With unrealistic portrayal of women
in media the audience sees them as objects of invoking sensation.
For example often degrading description is used in music videos with regard to
women which creates a barrier between men and women.
How it creates the intention of Inferiority about Women
Men feel it is permissible
in today's society damage a woman's dignity by treating them as mere
commodities. By and large female inequality has become easily permissible in
the society through the constant influence of media.
Gender roles are
constantly reinforced through the media. Many times it is shown that man is the
money maker, hard worker and a being represented as intelligent within the family
whereas woman is baby-maker, home-maker and an emotional figure in the
household.
This stereotyping of gender roles has a profound impact on the
society. Women have always been adored and glorified for their physical
attributes. We often see in TV shows and advertisements, a man choosing a
skinny girl over fat girl or fair girl over a dark complexion girl.
Effect on Mental Health
These representation can
lead to depression among women in general about their looks which is a very
unhealthy trend. Young women are especially affected by objectification in mass
media. Women in general have become more obsessed with how their body is seen
by others in the society.
The need to have a "perfect body" is a result of
various messages society sends in this regard directly or indirectly. Sexual
exploitation of women is very much prevalent in all the spheres of our society,
be it within families, at workplaces or on the streets, which is the result of this representation on media.
These days a new
trend has started of plastic or cosmetic surgery which is increasingly being
promoted in our TV shows as something which can fix all the problems.
People
have often looked up to celebrities who themselves resort to such measures of
going under the knife to acquire perfect bodies or skin. This propels the
audience and more so the women, to resort to the same path to look like those
they adore.
Mass media is an effective tool which creates public opinion.
Television is supposed to be the mirror of the society. However, many times due
to incorrect portrayal of reality some groups and communities are at the receiving end, among which, the women are a glaring example.
Written By - Chavi Goel
0 Comments