In today’s society, the issue of post-feminism has become a controversial topic, and it is debated in different places across the world. Every society has a different perspective concerning women as a gender, significantly posing a challenge to all feminists worldwide in trying to eliminate the immediate societal perspectives (Adisa, Pg. 2217, 2021). However, Even though we haven’t reached all of our objectives yet, feminism is the driving force behind why we now live in a world where women are regarded on an equal footing. Besides, if we ever want to create a future in which everyone is treated fairly, we must keep moving forward and keeping our spirits up. Moreover, the issues of feminism have become widespread in the current world due to the role played by television programs in educating women about their rights and creating awareness of the harms brought by the negative social perceptions regarding feminism and other controversial topics surrounding women in a different society.
Furthermore, because of its varied marketing channels, the media is essential in disseminating thoughts and information about feminism (Zhou, Pg. 352, 2020). The protection of free speech under the First Amendment has a direct bearing on the ability of the media to disseminate its viewpoints as well as those of the general public, which in turn has a significant bearing on how events unfold domestically and internationally. Ultimately, this essay brings to light the roles of television programs in promoting feminism and societal perceptions of post-feminism worldwide.
Most television programs and shows have female characters who educate and inform others about their rights. According to a study by Faye Woods, women’s watching television affected their attitudes and behaviors (Woods, Pg. 195, 2019). Television positively influences culture by a greater proportion of women than males. The public’s understanding of women’s rights, particularly those about economic equality, has been aided by the media and has increased. As a result of television, women have access to more information regarding the groups that fight for their rights and the national and international laws and treaties that safeguard women’s rights. There has been some investigation into how it is portrayed in the media.
Nevertheless, the influence of the media programs such as those by Fleabag and Chewing gum can be observed and experienced in every sphere of contemporary life. It helps people become more knowledgeable about everything, significantly contributing to society. It is a method that may swiftly and effectively disseminate specialized information to many people. This is a cunning strategy for getting people to perceive things from their point of view. This method can educate people quickly, which helps achieve the necessary behavioral changes (Woods, Pg. 197, 2019). This is also an added benefit of the strategy to most women; it can be used for many reasons, including instructing, entertaining, and informing its audience. Utilizing the media to achieve one’s objectives may be a lucrative endeavor for governments and other organizations; it also brings about a subtle shift in people’s worldviews.
Moreover, the main characters of the programs are women; Fleabag and chewing gum provide society with positive perceptions of women, thereby building a relationship between the feminists and the communities. Women are generally regarded as sexual objects in most countries regarding social media programs. Within the context of a fictional story, Fleabag addresses genuine issues that affect real people, such as adultery and insecurity faced by women. Still, it does so in a way that lends itself well to satire. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays the role of Fleabag, is the one who knocks down the “fourth wall” and speaks to the viewers directly (McIntyre, Pg. 157, 2022). Most of these television programs give an unfiltered of the real-world feminist who is trying and struggling to end sexism. The oppression women undergo to achieve the law equality and put it into practice.
In most cases, the programs run on many television stations aim to educate society on how women need to be protected and eliminate their negativity towards them. Notably, watching these programs makes society aware of every challenge women undergo and the possible solution to solve the problem. Ultimately, as argued by Carroll, it is also through this social media where the feminist in many societies get motivated to safeguard women’s rights in different countries across the world (Carroll, 2022).
Furthermore, post-feminism has also made most popular and political through social media programs. The programs that are presented in most television programs are the reasons for the popularity of post-feminism and other women groups. It has encouraged and raised the voices of women from different backgrounds and nations, thereby making women to be easily heard. Moreover, these programs have more variation within the feminist movement than in modern times. The concept of feminism has developed over time to incorporate the viewpoints of non-binary people, transgender people, and even men. The popularity of feminism has effectively promoted the goals of the feminist of striving towards bringing progress to all gender-related stages as opposed to the societal notions that no longer define the rigidity of gender expression and roles. As perceived in many television programs, most feminists have gotten assistance in promoting gender equality through what they view and the courage they gain after watching feminist-related programs. The sensitivity of post-feminism is also outlined in the media, thereby giving women ideas about where and how they will remain subjective and empowered. Ultimately, due to the popularity of post-feminism, their aim of allowing people to live free and empowered was implemented, which consequently made the women much recognized without being tied by the restrictions given by the traditions.
Additionally, television programs promoted women’s representation and self-satisfaction, which significantly made post-feminism more political. In many cases, what is being presented to be viewed in television programs is regulated, and any content that might present gender biases is rejected. Today, most shows’ actors are women; this was enhanced to promote gender equality and encourage recognition of women’s problems. Women are seen as sex objects, and characters such as Fleabag are trying to eliminate the notions by effectively acting contrary to how people or society, in general, expect them to behave. As presented in many series, Fleabag is depicted to rely on sex mostly for validation and as a means of escaping the trauma, she is going through in trying to escape the death of her mother and best friend. Later in the other series, Fleabag objectively reveals her true character by evidently concluding that being a sex addict is not the right action to get self-satisfaction. Through watching these episodes, the women can effectively stand by their choice and do what they are embraced with and reject the negatives presented to them by society.
Similarly, women are effectively represented by feminists by ensuring that equal rights and opportunities are given to them. Feminism seeks to ensure that women have the same opportunities and rights as men, whereas gender equality works toward attaining parity between the sexes. Gender equality also establishes parity between the sexes (McRobbie, Pg. 270, 2004). According to the principles of the gender equality movement, men and women should not be subjected to any form of prejudice or inequality in treatment. Ultimately, a theoretical movement known as liberal feminism promotes the idea that women’s worldviews ought to be aligned with the objectives of liberalism. Among these objectives is advancing individual liberty, social equity, and universal respect for human rights. The advancement of gender equality through reforms in government policy and the legal system is the overarching objective of this movement, which operates within the context of liberal democracy.
In conclusion, in today’s society, the issue of post-feminism has become a controversial topic, and it is debated in different places across the world. However, issues of feminism have become widespread in the current world due to the role television programs play in educating women. This program has facilitated the representations of women, informing and eliminating society’s perspectives regarding women as a gender. The topic of post-feminism has become more political and popular since the feminist theory is based on equality and universal human rights, which is addressed in many political-stable countries.
Woods, Faye. “Too close for comfort: direct address and the affective pull of the confessional comic woman in chewing gum and fleabag.” Communication Culture & Critique 12, no. 2 (2019): 194-212.
Carroll, L., 2022. The brilliance of Fleabag: Masterful cringe comedy meets feminist rebellion. [online] Abc.net.au. Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-24/fleabag-season-2-review-phoebe-waller-bridge-olivia-coleman/11138998?fbclid=IwAR2GxtJrvdClY7PESN9lZ-cuTCQXlZz4lQjeRs3MenS7O6oT-EseYE9FU_s> [Accessed 17 August 2022].
McRobbie, Angela. “Post‐feminism and popular culture.” Feminist media studies 4, no. 3 (2004): 255-264.
Adisa, T.A., Gbadamosi, G. and Adekoya, O.D., 2021. Gender apartheid: The challenges of breaking into “man’s world .”Gender, Work & Organization, 28(6), pp.2216-2234.
Zhou, Q. and Qiu, H., 2020. Predicting online feminist engagement after MeToo: A study combining resource mobilization and integrative social identity paradigms. Chinese Journal of Communication, 13(4), pp.351-369.
McIntyre, A.P., 2022. Irish Female Comedic Voices, Diasporic Melancholy, and Productive Irritation: Sharon Horgan, Aisling Bea, and Maeve Higgins. In Contemporary Irish Popular Culture (pp. 153-201). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.