How Gender Portrayal Is Depicted by the Selected Editorial Cartoons

Abstract

Across the whole world scholars, policy makers as well as readers of newspapers and magazines point to one critical issue that the media have of late become conduits for gender stereotyping not only in Kenya but the world over. This is a fact that has been proven in the recent years by sporadic protests against some media houses following publication of cartoons that seemed offensive to sections of society. In a bid to calm the situation, affected media houses resorted to apologizing and even retracting as a strategy to remain afloat.  This study is centered on the question: How is gender portrayal depicted by the selected editorial cartoons? This study is anchored on the relativist/interpretivist philosophical paradigm. Qualitative case study of the two newspapers namely Daily Nation and the Standard newspapers respectively was applied. Data was generated through a qualitative content analysis and observations of the selected cartoons in the two newspapers. It was complimented by semi-structured in- depth interviews targeting the cartoonists, human rights and gender activists from selected organizations in addition to the information from the published cartoons. A total of 252 cartoons were sampled through a six-week purposive sampling mechanism. Each week represented a month. The study highlights the inability of the two media houses to embrace gender sensitivity in the way cartoons portray both men and women in relation to reporting of issues and events in Kenya. Consequently, the study challenges the editors, reporters, cartoonists and columnists to embrace gender sensitivity in sourcing and packaging of news as this is critical in setting the agenda for national development. Investing in gender equality is a constitutional requirement as well as a human right ingredient for spurring inclusivity in national development.  The study therefore recommends that media houses in Kenya adopt gender sensitivity reporting as a norm in order to accord equal opportunity to both men and women in their news-making responsibilities. Gender portrayal will change and so will the narrative if training institutions, press unions as well as the Government of Kenya specifically Gender and sports, Information and Technology, Education among others embrace gender sensitivity programming. It will be even more sustainable if the media deliberately and sustainably engages in gender sensitivity reporting. The study findings form a basis for reference in future by interested parties