Abstract

This study assesses how watching TV dramas affects women's awareness of feminism in Lahore, Pakistan. Information is gathered through the online survey method (n=200) from female students of various public and private universities in Lahore. The study analyzes the impact of demographic factors, including age, education level, maternal education, and employment status, on young women's beliefs about traditional gender roles and their inclination toward feminism. The results of the study lend credence to the idea that feminist ideals—represented in television dramas and mothers' employment status—influence children's views on gender roles (H1 & H4). In addition, the findings indicate that education plays a significant role in forming feminist beliefs, particularly among female viewers who watch television dramas regularly (H3).  However, the lack of statistical significance in the majority of models makes it impossible to definitively conclude that age has a significant impact on feminist beliefs among television drama viewers (H2).

Key Words

Television Dramas, Feminist Awareness, Traditional Gender Roles Beliefs, Working Mothers

Introduction

Television has emerged as a prominent medium for feminist activism, showcasing a wide range of female characters who challenge traditional notions of femininity and offer genuine portrayals of women's lives and perspectives (Ileš & Marijanovi?, 2023). TV has a solid and enduring influence on viewers, according to McQuail (2005), so much so that it can alter their opinions. Television dramas are widely popular among the Pakistani population, as they are considered a prominent and enjoyable aspect of Pakistani culture.

Even today, women in Pakistan still encounter considerable obstacles in their quest for justice and equality (Priola & Chaudhry, 2020). The current culture, which is predominantly male-dominated, presents a significant challenge to their advancement. Pakistani dramas often center around the challenges faced by young women in a society that is traditionally dominated by men. These sources offer insight into the ongoing feminist battle within a society dominated by men. The female protagonists in such dramas explore the feminist issues that arise in a male-dominated society (Chaudhry, Ali, & Aslam, 2021). Nevertheless, women, who are often subjected to gender discrimination, are not immune to the perpetuation and support of the existing gender inequality (Becker & Wagner, 2009). This has been observed in various studies (Benokraitis & Feagin, 1995; Jost & Banaji, 1994).

This study's main objective is to identify how media portrayals of gender roles influence today's young women's feminist views. In light of the paucity of literature on the subject, the current study sets out to fill that gap by examining, through the lens of media input from television dramas, how mothers' experiences—including their educational background and exposure to the working world—influence the development of feminist identity in their daughters. We aim to go deeper into this topic in this work. 

The premise of this study is that one may get a sense of people's feminist leanings by learning about their traditional ideas on gender roles in society. Women in Pakistan are hesitant to openly declare their support for feminist concepts of gender equality because of cultural sensitivities caused by the complex and controversial Aurat March. To spare them the trouble, we have looked into the respondents' conventional views about gender roles and assumed their feminist leanings. 

This study aims to empirically confirm the relationship between young women's feminist attitudes in Lahore and their demographic characteristics (age, education, mother's education, and occupational status) as well as their viewing of television dramas. Feminist perspectives oppose conventional notions of societal gender roles. Consequently, an evaluation of the respondents' level of conventional beliefs will provide insight into their degree of feminist identity.

Literature Review

Feminist Identity Development (FID)

A feminist's sense of self can be better understood through the five steps laid out by Downing and Roush (1985). In the initial phase, known as passive acceptance, individuals demonstrate an acceptance of conventional gender roles, perceiving them as beneficial and holding the belief that men possess superiority over women. During stage two, revelation occurs after experiencing one or multiple crises, leading to a critical examination of conventional gender roles, feelings of resentment towards men, and a tendency to think in terms of opposing extremes. During this stage, women may experience feelings of guilt regarding their past contributions to their oppression. Stage three, embeddedness-emanation, is characterized by a more relativistic worldview, cautious interactions with men, and an intensified feeling of connection with other women. Stage four involves coming into one's own as a feminist and learning to live in peace with the environment. Now is the time for women to stop judging men through the lens of traditional gender roles and start appreciating them for who they are. Finally, in the active commitment stage, people show a strong desire to make a difference in society and have the belief that men and women are equal but different. 

According to several studies (Redford, Howell, Meijs, & Ratliff, 2016; Robnett, Anderson, & Hunter, 2012; Houvouras & Scott Carter, 2008), women who hold damaging views of feminists are less willing to align themselves with feminism compared to women who hold positive views. 

The second reason women could not feel a connection to feminism is that they may have a favorable impression of feminists but think that other women don't share this view (Ramsey, et al., 2007; Twenge & Zucker, 1999). Lastly, there are women who are hesitant to call themselves feminists for fear of the personal implications of the stereotype (Zucker & Bay-Cheng, 2010).

Feminist perspectives may assist women in overcoming the social pressure to suppress their emotions and identities in relationships since this behavior is often reinforced by women's social environments.  In a general sense, feminism encompasses the endeavor for equal social, political, and economic rights between genders (Adichie, 2015). There have been many different waves of feminism, and many different ways that women have taken part in the movement. This occurrence is not exclusive to any particular worldview or life experience. Liberal, radical, and culturalist feminism are among the newer schools of thought. 

Feminism has also seen multiple waves throughout history, including the first and second waves. Additionally, women have diverse ways of accepting and identifying with the feminist ideology, including postfeminist (Tong & Botts, 2018). We understand that it is challenging to quantify and encompass the various interpretations of feminism in a single study. Nevertheless, a postfeminist perspective shapes our comprehension of feminist attitudes. This viewpoint implies that some women may not explicitly label themselves as feminists yet still actively support and participate in efforts to promote equality at all levels including political, and economic not limited to social equality only (Butler, 2013). Feminist identification is strongly linked to embracing feminist principles (Meijs, Ratliff, & Lammers, 2017), but many scholars argue that it is possible for a woman to support feminist ideals and contribute to the broader spheres of women's empowerment, even if she does not personally identify as a feminist (Butler, 2013).

In their FID model, Downing and Roush (1985) acknowledge the complexity of feminism and the experiences of women in the face of discrimination and prejudice. There has been a prevailing belief that women go through various stages of development influenced by their personal experiences. Rather than accurately reflecting the stages themselves, the evaluation scales largely mirror feminist sentiments (Moradi & Subich, 2002). 

We looked at feminist perspectives alongside the synthesis stage, the fourth stage of their methodology. Based on theoretical understanding, women enter the synthesis stage when they successfully incorporate the positive elements of their femininity into a constructive and self-affirming self-perception. This involves cultivating a positive feminist identity and rejecting conventional gender roles (Downing & Roush, 1985). A more inclusive synthesis stage perspective would most certainly include a wider spectrum of women, including those who may identify as feminists or hold a postfeminist viewpoint.

 Post-feminism, which emphasizes femininity as a physical attribute and renews ideas of inherent sexual differences, contributes to this inclusivity (Butler, 2013, p. 44). During the synthesis stage, individuals may opt to embrace womanhood, femininity, and sexual distinctions, regardless of whether they identify as feminists. This choice is driven by a desire to challenge the belief that women are less important and to promote personal autonomy and empowerment. According to studies, having strong feminist beliefs, as assessed by synthesis, has several benefits. It is linked to more liberal views on gender and a sense of empowerment. Moreover, it serves as a protective barrier against societal pressures related to gender, such as issues even as subjective as appearance and diet (Kinsaul, Curtin, Bazzini, & Martz, 2014).

Feminist television criticism suggests that the portrayal of women in different genres and cultural settings can shape viewers' perceptions of gender and potentially impact their actions (Brunsdon & Spigel, 2007). The stories and characters presented to female viewers of television dramas serve as sources of inspiration for them. Dramas unfortunately perpetuate gender stereotypes by depicting women as passive and unable to make their own choices. On the other hand, there are dramas where strong, progressive women play prominent roles, and viewers begin to identify with and internalize these characters' worldviews. Many young women who aspire to be strong, independent women today take cues from how their favorite fictional characters handle common societal and social issues. Additionally, this impacts the way they think about and approach politics. 

Taking into consideration that feminism is the banner that stands for the research-driven, modest, and courageous youth of today. It is embodied by women who impart valuable life lessons despite facing numerous challenges (Bhuvaneswari & Parthiban, 2022). A common barrier to feminism's quest for social change and political equality is the stereotype of man-hating radicals who reject conventional ideas of femininity and are ridiculed for their lack of intelligence (Baumgardner & Richards, 2000). Feminism is a contentious concept among today's youth, both women and men. Despite a general comprehension of the movement's principles and history, Millennial viewpoints on feminism are characterized by complexities such as a hesitancy to adopt the feminist label and criticisms of the movement (Ghaffari & Ruspini, 2020). They grew up during a time when postfeminists questioned the necessity of feminism, claiming inequality is a past issue and blaming it for social issues (Faludi, 1991). 

H1: Female viewers of television dramas are more likely to internalize feminist ideals if they watch these shows frequently. 

H2: Compared to younger female viewers, grownup female viewers are likelier to foster feminist views through heavy TV drama viewing.

Higher levels of education are associated with stronger feminist views, suggesting that education plays a role in shaping one's beliefs about feminism (Iftikhar, Hussain, & Sattar, 2023). Women in the field of physical sciences are proponents of gender equality and actively promote the inclusion of women in scientific studies. However, their perspectives on feminism may vary depending on their social circles and personal experiences (Eren, 2022). Factors influencing feminist attitudes include level of education and age. Feminist ideologies are more strongly supported by subjects with higher levels of education (Stefan, Petr, Petr, & Fritz, 2007). Educated youth exhibit more feminist views and actions than their less-educated female counterparts, including working outside the home, postponing marriage, reducing family size, and advocating for women's rights (Charles, 2008). Higher education levels correlate with decreased agreement that women should be housewives, indicating a positive relationship between education and feminist beliefs among women (Yifei, 2023).

H3: Female viewers with higher levels of education are more likely to be actively fostering feminist views through their heavy TV drama consumption compared to less educated female viewers.

Mother’s Influence 

According to the mother-daughter relationship and feminist identity study, higher-educated mothers help their daughters develop feminist consciousness (Colaner & Rittenour, 2015). There is evidence that mothers with higher education support daughters' university access, but daughters rarely engage with feminist issues, maintaining traditional gender roles.

According to studies on motherhood, one of the most important ways a mother can impact her daughter's life is through the special relationship she has with her daughter. Although studies have looked at how mothers affect their daughters' professional decisions, academic performance, and gender attitudes, there is a dearth of research on how familial socialization influences the development of a feminist ideology. Few academic studies have examined the lived realities of feminist parents and their impact on their daughters (Stephenson-Abetz, 2012). Historically, feminism has not been seen as fully encompassing the experiences of women of color and working-class women. The family is commonly regarded as the primary setting for acquiring knowledge about gender oppression. Acknowledging that the family serves as a platform for girls to develop strategies to combat discrimination within the prevailing culture is crucial. In addition, the family has a role in fostering confidence (O’Reilly, 2008; Schweitzer, 2000). Thus, individuals with better levels of education tend to hold stronger feminist beliefs, and women who are employed are more inclined to endorse feminist ideals compared to those who are homemakers (Iftikhar, Hussain, & Sattar, 2023).

H4: Female viewers whose mothers are also professional women are more likely to internalize feminist ideals through their heavy TV drama viewing. 

Methodology

This study assesses how watching TV dramas affects women's awareness of feminism in Lahore, Pakistan. Information is gathered through the online survey method (n=200) from female students of various public and private universities in Lahore. This study examines TV drama's audience, specifically female viewers. This study aims to investigate the relationship between feminist awareness and the demographic attributes of the participants. The study investigated the participants' age and educational history. In addition, the mother's academic history and employment status—including whether or not she works outside the home or is a stay-at-home parent—must be taken into account. Regarding the information about mothers, The survey included a brief question inquiring about the educational background of participants' mothers, with response options of "yes" or "no." Additionally, participants were questioned about the occupational status of their mothers, with response options of "housewife" or "working woman." Then, people were asked how often they watched dramas, with three possible answers: never, often, or every day. Next, participants were queried regarding their TV drama consumption patterns, with three choices for response: never, frequently, and daily.

Examining a person's views on traditional gender roles in society can help determine their feminist beliefs. Adhering to traditional gender roles means that people are okay with men being in charge of personal and social situations. These questions were adapted from the Feminist Identity Composite scale (Fischer et al., 2000). Therefore, to gauge people's thoughts and feelings on gender roles in society, we prepared an eight-item scale with multiple-choice answers that ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" on a five-point Likert scale.

All items were put together into a single variable called "Traditional Gender Role Beliefs." For testing how reliable the scale was, Cronbach Alpha gave great results, showing a high level of reliability Cronbach alpha .814 (Table 1). 

Demographic Characteristics and Drama-Viewing Habits

By analyzing the respondents' demographic characteristics, we determined the make-up of the study sample (Figure 1). Regarding the age distribution, many of the sample consisted of respondents in the 15–24 age bracket. The next most oversized age bracket was 25–34 years, with the 35–44 years making up a substantially smaller percentage. Respondents' educational backgrounds were characterized by a relatively high level of attainment, with "Bachelor/equal to bachelor" being the most prevalent category. Another thing that came out of the study was that most of the participants' mothers had degrees. Finally, for respondents' mothers' occupational status, we had a nearly even distribution between working and stay-at-home mothers. These results show the study's demographics, shedding light on patterns in age, education, maternal education, and labor force participation.  

Figure 1

Demographic information of the sample

Based on how often respondents said they watched dramas; the data shows how the respondents were distributed. Almost 70% of people who took the survey said they watched dramas frequently but necessarily every day. This suggests that engaging with dramatic television content is a common habit among the people surveyed. On the other hand, just 12% of people who took the survey said they watched dramas daily on a regular basis, which indicates that this viewing habit is not widespread in this sample. Not only that, but 18.4% of people who took the survey said they've never watched a drama. This group probably consists of people who either don't like dramatic TV shows or have different tastes in entertainment. All things considered, these results shed light on the viewing habits of the sample population, showing that many people watch dramas on a regular basis while simultaneously recognizing that some people do not watch dramas. 

Traditional Gender Role Beliefs

The data provides a glimpse into the extent to which respondents adhere to traditional gender roles; they are rated as high, medium, or low in their adherence to traditional femininity. Only 27 people out of a total of 105 showed a solid commitment to conventional gender norms, representing 13.5 percent of the sample. Accordingly, this group of respondents believes in and adheres to conventional gender norms and expectations for femininity. 

Figure 2

Traditional Gender Roles

Contrarily, 118 out of a possible 273 respondents (59% of the sample) showed only moderate commitment to more conventional gender norms. This suggests that respondents' gender roles align with traditional notions of femininity, with a mix of more modern and traditional attitudes and behaviors likely being present. 

In addition, almost a third of the participants (55 out of 100) did not strictly adhere to gender norms. This group appears to deviate greatly from conventional ideas of femininity and may be open to exploring more progressive or unconventional approaches. 

These results, taken as a whole, illuminate the variety of perspectives and actions held by the sample population about more conventional gender roles. The sample reflects a spectrum of gender identities and expressions, with some firmly adhering to traditional femininity norms and others demonstrating varying degrees of deviation.

Correlation Analysis

The correlation table offers valuable insights into the interrelationships among variables and conventional gender role ideologies. Traditional gender role beliefs are weakly correlated with age (r = 0.213, p < 0.01). This result implies a marginal increase in the adherence to traditional gender roles as individuals age. An examination of education level (Edu) and traditional gender role beliefs reveals a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.256, p < 0.01). This finding suggests that those with more advanced degrees are more likely to adhere strictly to conventional gender norms. A weak positive correlation has been observed between the possession of an educated mother and adherence to traditional gender role beliefs. The correlation coefficients (r = 0.146 and r = 0.142, p < 0.05) exhibit statistical significance despite their relatively modest magnitudes. 

The relationship between traditional gender role beliefs and the mother's occupational status exhibits a weak negative correlation (r = -0.183, p < 0.01). The results indicate a marginal decrease in the adherence to traditional gender roles among individuals whose mothers have jobs other than housekeeping. Classical gender role beliefs and the frequency of viewing television dramas are correlated moderately negatively (r = -0.254, p < 0.01). This finding indicates that there is a negative association between the frequency of TV drama viewing and adherence to traditional gender roles. 

Beliefs in traditional gender roles are significantly influenced by factors such as educational attainment, maternal education, maternal occupation, and the frequency with which one watches television dramas. There is a negative correlation between limited adherence to traditional gender roles and higher levels of education, educated mothers, mothers who are employed outside the home, and lower frequencies of TV drama viewing. Sociocultural factors and media consumption patterns have a significant impact on how individuals perceive and perceive traditional gender roles, as demonstrated by these results.

Regression Analysis 

A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between various predictors (such as education level, age, mother's education, mother's occupational status, and frequency of TV drama viewing) and individuals' attitudes toward traditional gender roles.

Table 1 displays the outcomes of three regression models that predicted traditional gender role attitudes. Each model incorporates distinct sets of predictor variables, such as the frequency of watching TV dramas, age, education level, the level of education, and employment held by the mother. 

Model 1: The first model consists solely of the TV drama viewing frequency predictor variable. The model demonstrates that the frequency of watching TV dramas explains 6.5% of the variation in traditional gender role attitudes (R Square = .065). The regression coefficient for TV drama viewing frequency (-.221, p < .001) suggests that a greater frequency of watching TV dramas is linked to a decrease in traditional gender role attitudes. 

Model 2 incorporates age and education level (Edu) as supplementary predictor variables. This model accounts for 11.6% of the variation in traditional gender role attitudes (R Square = .116). Furthermore, 

the analysis reveals that age (p > .05) and education level (p < .10) do not exhibit a statistically significant relationship with TV drama viewing frequency in this model. 

Model 3 incorporates the mother's educational and occupational status as supplementary predictors. This model explains 15.6% of the variation in traditional gender role attitudes, as indicated by an R Square value of .156. In addition to the frequency of watching TV dramas, the education of the mother (p < .10) and the job-related status of the mother (p < .01) are identified as significant predictors. More precisely, the presence of a mother who is employed is linked to a decrease in adherence to traditional gender roles, whereas having a mother with a higher level of education is linked to a slight increase in adherence to traditional gender roles. 

The regression analyses generally indicate that multiple factors influence traditional gender role attitudes. The frequency at which one watches TV dramas is an essential factor. Still, our understanding of the complex dynamics that influence traditional gender role attitudes is further improved by considering additional predictors such as the mother's education level and occupation. More precisely, there is a correlation between having a mother who is employed and holding more progressive views on gender roles. On the other hand, the level of education attained by the mother has a slight impact on traditional beliefs about gender roles.  

Table 1

Regression Models Predicting Traditional Gender Role Beliefs