1. MEDIAAND WOMEN- Where do we stop acceptingsurface portrayals
and begin reading between the lines?
Ashi Pandey
Department of BA Programme
Indraprastha College for Women
The mediathroughitsreach to people atlarge has beeninstrumental thoughnot tothe extentdesired
insupportingthe movementforwomenemancipationbyfocusingneglectandmarginalizationof the
positionof the womeninsociety.The majorconcernisthat itfailstoaddressseriousissuesof
exploitationand unequaltreatmenttowardswomenindifferentspaces. Itistrue thatthe mediahas
broughtto light,asneverbefore,certainmisdemeanoursagainstwomenbutinaverysubtle manner.
On the otherhand,mediahasalso perpetuatedthe stereotypedimageof womenasa householder and
an inconsequentialentityinthe traditional value system. Inthe recentyears,debatesabouteverything
fromthe historyandexclusionsof feminismtothe genderconsciousnessof youngwomenandthe
ideological nature of contemporarymedia,have crystallisedindisagreements aboutpostfeminism.The
prevailingsexisminmediaisextremelyproblematicandthe lackof attentionwasregardedasa part of a
more general double standardwhichalwaysworkedtoignore ordisparage women’sinterest.Talking
aboutpopularromances,theyare not simplyescapistfantasiesdesignedtodope womenbutfictions
that engage incomplex andcontradictorywayswithreal problems-offeringtemporary,magical,fantasy
or symbolicsolutions. Ratherthanplayingavital role inaddressingsocial problems,mediasometimes
promote sexism, heteronormative tradition,rape culture,objectificationandvictimization.Dealingwith
the thinline betweenempowermentandobjectification,itisimportanttodistinguishbetweenboth.
We aimto investigate patternsinwhichthe mediahasinfluencedwomen’smovementandalsoits
failuresinspreadingawarenessabout womenissues. Byexploringthe waysmediahasspread
awarenessaboutgenderanditsintersectionality,we willdiscusstowhatextentithasimpactedthe
society.