And Why the fair sex is usually fair game for media
What was the “hottest” (Pun unintended) and most talked about
story during the recent Lok Sabha elections in Western Uttar Pradesh? It was the sleazy, demeaning and distasteful “visuals” of the Rampur Lok Sabha candidate Jaya Prada. Dozens of mesmerised and possibly unhinged men try their best to seek their 15 minutes of fame when a Madhuri Dixit or a Sridevi or an Aishwarya Rai gets married. But who got more than her unfair share of 15 minutes of fame when Aishwarya Rai got married? It was a nonentity called Jahnavi Kapoor.
Agreed, this is a global phenomenon (After all, even Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was visibly smitten by Sarah Palin!). But then, the Indian media seems to revel when it comes to portraying women who land up in controversies. Even politicians are fair game. From Indira Gandhi to Jayalalitha to Uma Bharti to Mamata Banerjee to Vasundhara Raje Scindia, more is written and insinuated about their personal lives and their so- called eccentricities than their professional capabilities. Till date, you will find subtly suggestive suggestions about the relationship between Jayalalitha and the late MGR; just as you will find not so subtle jibes at the relationship between Mayawati and the late Kanshi Ram. Then again, more was probably written about Vasundhara Raje Scindia walking the ramp and lip locking with another female than her achievements or failures as a Chief Minister. And of course, not much is written nowadays about Uma Bharti; but you can bet your saffron robe that a story about her relationship with Govind Acharya is round the corner.
This pattern reflects many things about India, the media and the so-called consuming class. The first is the barely concealed but rigidly entrenched notions of patriarchy. This translates into “honour killings” in Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh; it also results in political leaders making derogatory remarks about women in the Lok Sabha whenever the Women’s Reservation Bill is debated. The second is the poorly concealed voyeurism that is the hallmark of the consuming class. Do you remember the feigned outrage with which we discussed the MMS scandals involving the student of Delhi Public School and even the film star Riya Sen? And surely you have not forgotten how fast the clips were sent from mobile phone to mobile phone? Sure most males in the world do stuff like that; but at least let’s not cloak our voyeurism in sanctimonious pap about “loose morals”.
Sex is not the only way women are viewed or portrayed. Take politician Renuka Choudhary. Her front page moment did not come when she was a Union Minister or a politician arguing in the Parliament. It came when she drove a tractor towards the Lok Sabha to highlight the plight of farmers. Who remembers farmers’ plight?
Of course, media pundits insist that women – given the patriarchal nature of our society and politics – often have to do “things like that” to get noticed. That they have to appear more combative, more aggressive and more fiery than they would want to simply because it is the nature of the job. Can Mayawati afford to appear less ruthless? Can Mamata Banerjee afford to appear less belligerent?
As we make clucking noises at how Mehbboba Mufti Sayyed is creating mayhem in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly, don’t you think we should also pause for a while and wonder why women matter so much? And in such a manner?
What was the “hottest” (Pun unintended) and most talked about
story during the recent Lok Sabha elections in Western Uttar Pradesh? It was the sleazy, demeaning and distasteful “visuals” of the Rampur Lok Sabha candidate Jaya Prada. Dozens of mesmerised and possibly unhinged men try their best to seek their 15 minutes of fame when a Madhuri Dixit or a Sridevi or an Aishwarya Rai gets married. But who got more than her unfair share of 15 minutes of fame when Aishwarya Rai got married? It was a nonentity called Jahnavi Kapoor.Agreed, this is a global phenomenon (After all, even Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was visibly smitten by Sarah Palin!). But then, the Indian media seems to revel when it comes to portraying women who land up in controversies. Even politicians are fair game. From Indira Gandhi to Jayalalitha to Uma Bharti to Mamata Banerjee to Vasundhara Raje Scindia, more is written and insinuated about their personal lives and their so- called eccentricities than their professional capabilities. Till date, you will find subtly suggestive suggestions about the relationship between Jayalalitha and the late MGR; just as you will find not so subtle jibes at the relationship between Mayawati and the late Kanshi Ram. Then again, more was probably written about Vasundhara Raje Scindia walking the ramp and lip locking with another female than her achievements or failures as a Chief Minister. And of course, not much is written nowadays about Uma Bharti; but you can bet your saffron robe that a story about her relationship with Govind Acharya is round the corner.
This pattern reflects many things about India, the media and the so-called consuming class. The first is the barely concealed but rigidly entrenched notions of patriarchy. This translates into “honour killings” in Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh; it also results in political leaders making derogatory remarks about women in the Lok Sabha whenever the Women’s Reservation Bill is debated. The second is the poorly concealed voyeurism that is the hallmark of the consuming class. Do you remember the feigned outrage with which we discussed the MMS scandals involving the student of Delhi Public School and even the film star Riya Sen? And surely you have not forgotten how fast the clips were sent from mobile phone to mobile phone? Sure most males in the world do stuff like that; but at least let’s not cloak our voyeurism in sanctimonious pap about “loose morals”.
Sex is not the only way women are viewed or portrayed. Take politician Renuka Choudhary. Her front page moment did not come when she was a Union Minister or a politician arguing in the Parliament. It came when she drove a tractor towards the Lok Sabha to highlight the plight of farmers. Who remembers farmers’ plight?
Of course, media pundits insist that women – given the patriarchal nature of our society and politics – often have to do “things like that” to get noticed. That they have to appear more combative, more aggressive and more fiery than they would want to simply because it is the nature of the job. Can Mayawati afford to appear less ruthless? Can Mamata Banerjee afford to appear less belligerent?
As we make clucking noises at how Mehbboba Mufti Sayyed is creating mayhem in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly, don’t you think we should also pause for a while and wonder why women matter so much? And in such a manner?
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative
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