Hema Committee Report and Women in Movie Industry – UPSC Sociological Perspective
September 3, 2024
Hema Committee Report and Women Harassment in Movie Industry
The findings of the Justice K Hema Committee, submitted in December 2019, have finally been made public after nearly five years of delays and legal challenges. The Hema Committee Report recently submitted to Kerala Government highlights that the film industry in Kerala is dominated by a small, powerful group of male actors, producers, and directors who wield enormous influence, making open demands for sexual favours from women. Those who refuse often face severe professional repercussions, effectively ending their careers before they can even begin.
Harassment in the movie industry, particularly against women, is a significant and complex issue rooted in a variety of social, cultural, and structural factors.
Analysis of Women in Movie Industry
- Gender Underrepresentation: According to a 2014 study by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in 120 films made worldwide from 2010 to 2013, only 31% of named characters were female, and 23% of the films had a female protagonist or co-protagonist. 7% of directors were women. Despite some progress, men still dominate key creative and decision-making roles such as directors, producers, and writers.
- Bechdel Test, a popular measure of gender bias in films, this Test evaluates whether a work features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. Many mainstream films fail this test, highlighting the lack of substantial female roles.
- Wage Gap: There is a significant wage gap between male and female actors, even in leading roles. Women in major movie industries often earn less than their male co-stars, reflecting broader societal inequalities.
- Objectification of women: Women are often objectified in media, and this culture can spill over into the treatment of women in the industry. They are frequently judged based on appearance, leading to situations where harassment is normalized.
- Ageism and Beauty Standards: The movie industry often values women for their youth and physical appearance, leading to the marginalization of older actresses or those who do not fit traditional beauty standards. This reinforces narrow ideals of beauty and objectifies women based on age.
Why Women face harassment in Movie Industry
- Objectification theory, proposed by Barbara Fredrickson and Tomi-Ann Roberts in 1997, suggests that women are often treated as objects valued primarily for their physical appearance.
- This theory posits that societal and media-driven objectification can lead to both self-objectification and the dehumanization of women by others.
- In the media industry, women are frequently portrayed in ways that emphasize their bodies over their talents or intelligence.
- This can create an environment where women are valued more for their looks than their professional abilities, making them more vulnerable to harassment.
- Male Gaze Theory: Coined by Laura Mulvey, this theory explains how films are structured to cater to the heterosexual male viewer, presenting women as objects of male desire. Women in films are often depicted in a way that emphasizes their physical attributes, particularly through camera angles, lighting, and framing.
- Female characters are often hyper-sexualized, especially in genres such as action, science fiction, and comedy. This is evident in how female characters are dressed (often revealing clothing), the roles they play (e.g., femme fatale, seductress), and how they are positioned relative to male characters.
- Gendered Expectations: Media representations often reinforce traditional gender roles, portraying women in subordinate or sexualized roles. These portrayals normalize the idea that women’s primary value lies in their physical attractiveness, leading to a culture where harassment is more likely to occur.
- Institutional Apathy: The institutional response to harassment in the media industry has historically been inadequate. However, recent movements have led to changes, including more robust policies against harassment, increased representation of women in leadership roles, and efforts to change how women are portrayed in the media.
- Lack of leadership positions for women: The lack of women in leadership positions means there are fewer advocates for women’s rights within the industry. This can make it more challenging to address and prevent harassment.
- Culture of Silence: The competitive nature of the industry means that many women feel they cannot afford to jeopardize their careers by speaking out, leading to a culture of silence. Women are often socialized to be accommodating and non-confrontational, which can make it more challenging for them to resist or report harassment.
- Milgram’s experiments on obedience to authority illustrate how individuals may conform to authority figures or group norms, even when it leads to harmful outcomes. Women in hierarchical industries might not see themselves as victims due to the influence of powerful figures or peer pressure.
Addressing harassment against women in the movie industry must focus on dismantling the deeply entrenched patriarchal power structures and fostering a culture of gender equality. This begins with redefining the narratives and representations in media by promoting diverse and complex female characters, thereby challenging the Male Gaze and objectification that pervades the industry.
Encouraging collective action through unions or associations specifically for women (like Women in Cinema Collective) in the film industry can empower them to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation, breaking the culture of silence. Additionally, embedding feminist principles in the industry’s policies and practices, such as equitable hiring, pay parity, and transparent complaint mechanisms, would structurally address gender imbalances.
