There is no doubt that the media plays an essential role in how we form our opinions and the way we perceive ourselves. We generally adopt the personalities of our favourite characters, and the ideologies coerced by them. However, the influence of media on society and its cultural framework has forever been embedded into our minds, and what is shown can often be misleading. The media does have an impact, but it does so in a variety of ways. The casual patriarchy, the flawed portrayal of women’s relationships, and the capitalistic motives in hurting young personalities can be somewhat uncomfortable and disturbing.
It can heavily impact an audience's attitude, beliefs, or interpretations of society. An example of this is how the media influences women to try to be more unconventional and define gender roles or specific fantasies they must meet. They often instigate internalized misogyny, where women are pitted against each other because they are taught there is no other option. This hatred is spewed by movies that formulate two-dimensional characters which are written by men for their fantasy play. However, the major problem in portraying these women is that the feminine (or 'girly') character is always reliant on her being materialistic, putting attention into her looks, and is, supposedly, a terrible person for being in touch with her feelings. This ingrown idea is adjusted amongst women, that we need to compete with ourselves, or we need to strive to be less like 'other girls, and this puts us in danger of toxic comparisons.
Furthermore, this internalized misogyny takes an amplified form in Bollywood movies and shows. There are more apparent lines drawn for the picture of what a woman is supposed to be; and what her purpose is; to give and care for her family. While that in itself is not a bad thing, the putting down of career-driven women who comprise other goals, is critically looked down upon. Several shows are running on TVs that identify the coy and shy woman as the ideal daughter-in-law, the perfect wife, and the righteous protagonist. Whereas the working woman is always loud, cunning, and tries to steal husbands, devising a wretched way of how we perceive them. As if ambition is their biggest flaw.
Womanhood should focus more on how comfortable we are in our skin, and how we can express ourselves with authenticity, and accept other women who do so. As a part of a patriarchal society, we already have less freedom to explore who we are, and once we do, we are categorized, and then criticized. The media needs to capture flourishing women's relationships and stop defining the socially acceptable ways in which we can express ourselves.
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