Blackening of Women's Faces on Advertisement Boards 1
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Aysha et al, Journal of Research and Reviews in Social Sciences Pakistan, Vol 2 (2), 2019 pp 451-460 Contents lists available http://www.kinnaird.edu.pk/ Journal of Research & Reviews in Social Sciences Pakistan Journal homepage: http://journal.kinnaird.edu.pk BLACKENING OF WOMEN’S FACES ON ADVERTISEMENT BOARDS Aysha Bilal1*, Dr Ahmad Bilal2 1Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan. 2University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Article Info Abstract Women‟s faces on commercial billboards in Pakistan are *Corresponding Author always in danger of being blackened or defaced. Blotting Email Id: [email protected] of commercial billboards with images of female models is mostly associated with, so called, moral brigades, and the risk is increasing with each passing day in almost every big city of Pakistan. Although these incidents of vandalism were first highlighted around 2006 and 2007 during the „islah (reform) campaign‟ by the Lal Masjid in Islamabad, yet the restriction on the female figures in media can be observed in 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, hoardings with female models have not been displayed in some of the regions, and some of the film posters were also blackened under the pressure of censor board in 1980s. This kind of blackening, of female images on advertisement boards, reveals that a specific segment of the society considers female images threatening for the Keywords value system of the society. This paper traces the act of Advertising, Billboards, Image, blackening of female images on the advertising boards Islamisation, Women. and its impact on the females in the society. @ Kinnaird College for Women. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction property of men, works as a base of all kinds of Prevalence of gender-based violence can be violence against women, discouraging them from observed within the class and belief system in the the marriage of their choice, and preventing them urban and rural areas in Pakistan. All kind of from their right to vote to limit their role in the violence against women, including domestic and societal affairs. Family pressures, religious sexual violence to human trafficking, has its leaders and village committees are playing their roots in a patriarchal social structures, which part to exclude women from the electoral process places women as subordinate or property of men (Repila 2013). (Aurat Foundation 2011). The idea, women: a 451 Aysha et al, Journal of Research and Reviews in Social Sciences Pakistan, Vol 2 (2), 2019 pp 451-460 The act of blackening female images is also for Saudi Arabia, which is regarded as „to rooted in the same patriarchal mindset. However, transform censorship into art‟ (fig.5) (Edward it has deeper connotations, as it indicates that the 2013). vandals can‟t even tolerate the image of a Blackening in 2006-07 are slightly different from woman. the 1980s, as lately not only bodies but the faces Blackening of female images has a history in of the female models were also blackened. The Pakistan. The researchers have witnessed act of blackening faces was reported as part of crosshatching on the exposed body parts of „islah (reform) campaign‟ demonstrated by the female images on the film hoardings and posters, Lal Masjid. The religious activists of Lal Masjid, in 1980s and 1990s. The act of blackening was mostly females, had damaged the hoardings by done under the directions of Censor Board of blackening the faces of female models, and also dictatorial regime of 1980‟s, as the print and wrote messages, such as; “fahashi, bayhayi band electronic media was under strict scrutiny. karo” (stop vulgarity, immorality) (K. Ali 2015). President Zia‟s regime has supported certain These slogans along with blackening of females‟ religious groups to propagate the concept of images on advertisement boards indicate the Jihad and supplied warriors for the Soviet- mindset of a specific religious segment of the Afghan war, in 1979 (J. Khan 2015). In return, society depicting the increasing intolerance these religious groups could influence the rules towards presence of women at large. A madrasa and regulations of the state. Most of the laws student, who was not part of the act of were made against the basic rights of women, vandalism, believed that the “bare faces” should and females in mass media and advertising were not be allowed on hoardings because these could propagated as symbol or source of vulgarity stimulate many sinful acts; and his religious tutor (Saleem 2006). This discrimination is noticed by hated the female models, even before the Ogilvy; one of the most influential advertising exhibitors or the owners (K. Ali 2014). tycoons, he mentions it as an example and The exploitation of religion to fulfill political suggests not to use female images on advertising agendas is part and parcel of Pakistani power boards in Pakistan, in 1980s, because the display politics. Religion is misused, time and again, to of female images is declared as an act of divert the attention from the core issues to non- disobeying God (Ogilvy 1985, 26). Recently, issues; such as, women dress code, women right advertising agency Ogilvy Jeddah has used same to marriage, women‟s photography, which sort of blackening with the use of marker as resulted in limiting their presence in different design element in a lingerie and swimwear brand, walks of life and to restrict the freedom of 452 Aysha et al, Journal of Research and Reviews in Social Sciences Pakistan, Vol 2 (2), 2019 pp 451-460 expression. It is a fact that religion has been used sports were banned, and billboards with females‟ to form the political ideology of the country, and images were destroyed, which was considered to later dogmatic persuasion of religion has been be big step towards 'Talibanisation' of the transforming the society from secular to religious province (Shehzad 2005). Indeed, MMA state; however, religious groups have never been administration tried to impose a specific version able to form any government directly until the of Islam which placed modernity as an opposite catastrophe of September 11, 2001, which to religion. According to their leaders the female brought war to Afghanistan. The major political imagery is definitely “a conspiracy by the West parties had rejected the idea of being partner of to weaken Pakistan by promoting a liberal US; as a result the religious groups had played a lifestyle” (K. Ali 2014). It is substantial to note part in, so called, War on Terror (WoT) (Riffat that the reforms of MMA are mostly linked with 2015). The partnership with US had given an the policies of 1980s, which were to use religion opportunity to the specific religious groups to to shift the attention from the core socio-political form their government in North West Province1 and economic issues, towards the non-issue of for the first time in 2002 (J. Khan 2015; F. female role in society. Shaikh 2009). Thus, the first instance of official Ideological basis of the specific version of banning of women‟s photography, in any area of religion had instigated a fanatic hatred for Pakistan, was in 2003. images, and thus for art and culture. Prohibition Mutahida Majlis e Amal (MMA), the joint of imagery amalgamated with „Saudization‟ has venture of all religious groups, after forming the influenced amateur minds at enormous level, and government, had raised Shariat bill in the middle classes had lost every expression of assembly to suppress women rights by happiness; for example, the traditional festival of implementing purdha for all women from the age Basant (Kite flying), classical music and of 11 onwards, restricting women images on traditional kathak dancing (Hoodbhoy 2017). billboards, declaring family planning policy Indeed, after 2002, the social, political and unlawful, and by restraining male doctors, or religious issues have been multiplied, and the sports persons, or tailors to provide any services society has been dividing into liberal and to females (Saleem 2006). The cinema houses conservative segments. Bilal and Bilal (2018) and display centers were demolished, female discusses this divide in society, and traces its roots further in the increasing influence of Saudi 1 North-West Frontier Province, the name was changed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the 18th Amendment to Pakistan's Constitution in 2010 453 Aysha et al, Journal of Research and Reviews in Social Sciences Pakistan, Vol 2 (2), 2019 pp 451-460 culture, which regards overpowering sexuality of 2001). The study also reveals that biased rules women as a threat to Muslim-hood. and regulations certified in the name of religion, Apart from the divide, the act of vandalism also in the 1980s, are the biggest hurdle to reinstate identifies the status of the women in the society. the basic rights of women (Aurat Foundation Women have been facing harassment in routine 2011). "In addition, women who do attempt to consisting vulgar disgrace in form of abusive speak out or take on public roles that challenge shouting, blowing and sexualized gaze, as if the ingrained gender stereotypes of what's acceptable woman is a totally under controlled sex object. for women to do or not, such as working as One of its initial form is „gaze‟ or „sexualized policewomen or news broadcasters, are often staring‟, where woman is an Image, and man as intimidated or killed” (Anderson 2011). Indeed, an owner of the look (Mulvey 1975). In South- the space for females are reducing and the Asian culture, man is not only an owner of the prevailing issues are being further complicated look, but a possessor of the woman‟s fate. South- particularly after 2002. Asian females are treated as a property of male, In reaction to 'Talibanisation' and female as indicated by the famous proverb zan, zar, exploitation Malala Yousafzai has raised her zameen (woman, wealth and land).