Social Sciences and Education Research Review (Jul 2019)
TOWARDS A HEGEMONIC FEMININITY? COVERAGE OF THE FIRST FEMALE ROMANIAN PRIME MINISTER IN THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL MEDIA
Abstract
Since her appointment in January 2018, the first female prime minister of Romania has been constantly in the focus of the news. Either it was about ordinary political events and statements, current activity and meetings with counterparts from other countries, or it was about extraordinary actions and assertions that have attracted the attention and sometimes criticism and sarcasm of the media, the first woman in a political executive leading position in the history of Romania has always been in the spotlight of the media. Moreover, topics usually or mostly related to women, such as how does she looks or dresses, how is her hairdo or her makeup, have been on the media agenda regarding the female premier. The present paper analyses the national and local media coverage of the Romanian female prime minister since her nomination in January 2018 and continuing with the first months of her term. The article pays particular attention to the extent to which the first female premier of Romania, as represented by the national and regional media, embodies or not the hegemonic femininity.
