The Visible and Invisible Actors of Modern Times
Media with its conventional and contemporary interactive meanings and the entertainment sector have become active channels for society, the market and power structures that sustain their livelihood through norms that are built around womanhood. In pluralist democracies, media can give voice to the people and provide information, education and entertainment. On the other hand, it can also create false perceptions of womanhood by normalizing negative representations of women, instrumentalizing violence, and setting standards for the female body. As a result, women are getting exhausted physically, financially and psychologically in an effort to remain up to date in many aspects that include but are not limited to healthy nutrition, sports, beauty standards, ostentatious consumption, career plans and the new norms of house-wifedom. What is the impact of new lifestyles on existing norms? How do lifestyles establish their legitimacy? Is this rapid transformation an opportunity or a constraint for women? How are women’s experiences shaped in different cultures? How should women-friendly media be like?