The document discusses gender representation in media. It notes that media often portrays women in sexualized ways on magazine covers and advertisements to attract audiences. This leads to gender stereotyping that overgeneralizes characteristics of each gender. The document analyzes how women are commonly objectified or depicted as submissive in advertisements and Bollywood films. It suggests this is done to sell cultural and gender differences in a discriminatory way. Overall, the document argues that media representation of gender needs to change to avoid reducing women to objects and to depict them as fully capable.

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Dr. Ankuran Dutta
Head, Dept. of Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University, India
Managing Trustee, Dr. Anamika Ray Memorial Trust
Media and Gender

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this presentation is dedicated to
Dr Anamika Ray
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Understanding Media
Conventional
Media
Alternative
Media
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Media and Gender
Media and gender refers to the relationship between media and
gender, and how representations of the different genders are
created for by the mass media.
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Gender bias in Media
• Many magazines have sexualized
images on the cover of women.
• These days, media try to attract its
audience with the images of women
with little clothing, sexual
expression, body language and
gestures.
• Media are teaching people and
children that these things are what is
important instead of actual
important things going on in the
world.
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Gender Stereotypes
• Gender stereotyping is defined as over generalization of
characteristics, differences and attributes of a certain group
based on their gender.
• Stereotype reflects how we assume different members of
different groups actually behave.
• Gender stereotypes creates a widely accepted judgment or bias
about certain characteristics or traits that apply to each gender.
• Gender stereotypes creates a glass ceiling for many who
generally do not fall into the broad categories of stereotyping.
• When gender inequality occurs on the background of gender
stereotyping, this is called sexism.
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Gender Stereotypes
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Gender in Media
• Men and Women are constantly being sexualized on
different forms of media eg (bike ads, perfume ads)
• Objectification of women and at times assuming multi-
tasking and unrealistic expectations are normal ( eg MTR,
Moov ads, Airtel ads).
• Knowledge about gender in communication because we
are surrounded by media. (giving blue and pink clothes)
• Gaining understanding, knowledge, and having our eyes
open to what media is exposing us to will help us be able
to dismiss and make our own decisions and choices
regarding gender.
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Courtesy: Christie E. Omodeo

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Gender in Media
• Commodification is the selling of cultural, sexual, or
gender difference in a way that supports institutionalized
discrimination.
• This doesn't tend to happen to men as much. When men
appear in ads they are centered, and in a strong pose,
while woman generally appear seductive and/or lower
than the man (DeFrancisco, 2014)
• Women are not decision makers or chose policies
(Pension policy, financial ads)
• In most cases they are simply victims and not their own
voices
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• Reducing women to her body parts.
• Camera angles make men look dominant and
women submissive.
• Even mainstream Bollywood looks at women as
underachievers and most blockbusters make women
support the central male character.
• Even print largely covers star women leaders like Mamata
Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi or Mary Kom and deviate from
real women on the ground.
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Let us watch a few television advertisements, where you will find the
media behaviour on the gender issues
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Why women are projected in the advertisements of a few products like
Perfume in this way?
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They are women, not objects!!
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Women are much more capable than men
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Courtesy: Dr Zahangir Alam

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You know, why they are projected like
objects? Because.....
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We need to change ourselves... How to see
a thing....
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•Need not we change our
behaviour?
•If yes, what is the way?
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• Do women face voice poverty?
• How women can raise their voice?
• Do they need men to voice out
their grievances?
The answer is Alternative media...
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Please visit:
armt.in
Contact
ankurandutta@gmail.com
www.comcomm.org
Ph- 91-9910115696
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