This is with reference “Media Sexism” by Maria Tirmizi, in which the writer through light on Gender disparity particular in Pakistan quoting the example of Reham Khan’s divorce debate on media and despicable ratio of women’s participation in media. Certain points are needed to be mentioned regarding by finding hasty Generalization fallacy (overgeneralization) in the writer’s arguments to justify her stance.
The first, media is not ‘’guilty of gender bias’’ on the Reham’s divorce issue, because media has to show on the screen what people want within the media ethics. Naturally, all and sundry wants to know enthusiastically about the strong and ambitious life of their celebrity whatever the matter is. So both Reham and Imran were discussed in primetime shows without any exploiting attitude towards gender.
The second, global media monitoring project presented a report collecting data from 114 countries, only 37pc stories are reported by women in electronic and print media. The figure does not reveal exploitation of women in media on gender base; it is against professionalism and liberty to compel women to do the media jobs despite having insufficient experience, education and interest. For instance, if a woman passed degree of MBBS for clinical work and does not have interest in the profession of media then, how will you assume it as gender inequality if she does not join media? If females get more degrees than male in journalism then females will be dominant in the profession.
The third is ‘’the journalistic lens of masculinity in selection’’ pointed out by the writer while the boot is on the other leg as many reports depict that males prefer to study journalism while females have apathetic interest in social sciences subjects(political science, international Relations, Journalism, History Defense and Strategic Studies, archeologyetc.), then definitely, males have right to be selected ethically, so male dominancy is seen in media because of their education and interest in the profession of media and selection in media is not male centric but education, interest and profession centric.
The forth, another most important vital reason in the dominancy of male over media in Pakistan is cultural rights and freedom to women in our society as they are more depressed than to man and neither work till late night, according to the demand of the profession, nor spent more time far from their homes as they have to fulfill house duties like childrearing, cooking and give time to their life-partner etc.
Last but not least, certain types of femininity are observed during the selection of speaker in any official gathering; call centers receptionists, office workers, showbiz, dress designers and models etc. on the name of beauty and attractiveness. So gender base discrimination is being committed and both genders are its victims.
Concluding, the reasons behind the low ratio of women in such these fields are their education career, field of interest, illiteracy in our society and, cultural and religious barriers. But if one gender (male or female) centric selection is notices it must be abolished.
CHANGEZI SANDHU,
Lahore, December 3.