Gender Stereotypes in the Language of Pakistani Newspapers

AbstractLanguage, culture and media create a triangle in which each affects the other two and in turn is affected by them. As far as language is concerned it is greatly influenced by the social and cultural features of which gender is an important factor. Choices of language are more gender biased in male dominant and female subservient societies. In Pakistan too, gender discrimination is a prominent feature of language use. Printed media clearly reflects this bias. Showbiz section that constitutes an important part of Pakistani newspapers also manifests gender specific language choices. The present research explores the language of the showbiz section of selected newspapers to examine how gender is portrayed in showbiz an^ entertainment section of the newspapers with reference to the social and cultural stereotypes operating in our society. The data is categorized and analyzed both from the linguistic and social perspectives. It is expected that the research would not only help in understanding the gender specific language choices in Pakistani print media but also would be relevant to the Bangladeshi context in many ways.Keywords: gender, stereotypes, language, Pakistani newspapers1. Issue in the Context of Pakistani SocietyPakistan is a traditional patriarchal society with gender ideologies and disparities operating in different walks of life in favour of men and against women. The stereotypical image of women is created through their binary projection as incarnations of subordination, obedience, subservience, docility, and compliance on one hand and commodities to be purchased, used, and played with on the other hand. Like most of the fields, Pakistani media also works under a structure in which women are either submissive sufferers or objects to entertain. "This media projection is in fact a reproduction of the existing and established image of women in our society" (Rasul, 2008, p.74). In general in the Pakistani society a prejudice against women exists in all the spheres of life; thus Pakistani news papers, both English and Urdu, also give a biased and prejudiced coverage to women in the domain of fashion. This prejudice and bias is created as well as reflected through the pictorial, thematic and linguistic gender specific representation.2. Aim of the ResearchThe aim of the research is to examine how Pakistani newspapers present gender stereotypes operating in the society through the showbiz and entertainment sections; how the thematic projection, pictorial presentation and linguistic choices in the showbiz news are used to project and reinforce women as stereotypically weak individuals, displayable commodities and purchasable products in opposition to men as powerful individuals, potential beings and capable professionals.3. Significance of the ResearchMedia can be used as a tool to study the sociological composition of a society; and the deconstruction of language used in showbiz and entertainment news can significantly contribute to the understanding of gender framework operating in the society. The portrayal of women in fashion and showbiz industry is gender sensitive; and men and women of showbiz industry are categorized differently, and are perceived in different ways in Pakistan. One of the underlying concerns motivating this research on the gender images in the newspapers is an interest in the exploration of the general claims of progress we make towards the social equality of women in the society today. As media are involved in this progress just as they are in any other social movement in modern times, examining the part the media play in projecting men and women is of special importance. Fashion and showbiz industry is also gaining pace and enlightenment, and the image of women seems to have changed over the times. However, the way language is used for men and women remains gender sensitive in several aspects. In the Pakistani context, this paper will bring forward how women are projected differently from men in the showbiz news and what are the socio-cultural reasons/implications of this projection. …