Answer:

It is said that there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women but many a times this empowerment gets disguised when women are portrayed on various forums in either of the two characters - as an object of desire or as their all-pervasive stereotypical roles.

Literature and media are two streams which portray women in different yet similar light. Though the recognition of women’s identity in literature and media is similar to each other but both claim to redefine the women’s position in their own ways.

Literature promises a holistic representation of women’s self, lending them an enviable comparable status with men. On the one hand women is portrayed as divine in our classical literature, on the other hand, poets like Harivanshrai Bachchan and Mirza Ghalib identify the romantic glory associated with women. However, media believes in only exposing their physical domains to make them commercially viable.

Advertisements in particular reinforce this notion. For ex- deodorant ads have explicit sexual suggestions, even ads relating to men undergarments show woman. Another aspect of advertisements is its act of creating a world of perfection where women remain pretty angels sans any blemishes or scars on their body. It casts precarious psychological impact on women not being an “ideal women” created in the ads.

Hindi and particularly regional cinema also reinforces women‘s traditional role as wife and mother mostly. The women are made to look alluring and appealing to attract sections of the audience. Defining women as sex objects has become the leading representation in the media. Women are presented as sexual objects to be enjoyed by men, which in turn leads to false consciousness.

Such representations reinforce patriarchal structure in a society, in the sense that they are believed to be less competent even after being equal or more qualified and also less paid than their male counterparts.

This representation of women is based on the gender discrimination. Right now dissemination of feminist sensitivity is the only remedy for effecting the desirable change.

However, things are improving a little bit and signs of change are seen in certain recent instances such as women march against President elect Trump for his remarks admitting to sexual misconduct and harassment allegations against him, women in progress ad campaign which shows independent women along with their emotional side, example of Roshni Misbah – “hijabi biker” from delhi. All these shows a ray of hope for a better future for women.