Feminism and social change: women's place in Taiwanese newspapers and public opinion

Abstract

This study used a content analysis of editorial articles to explore the portrayal of gender in women’s pages of Taiwanese newspapers between 1975 and 2009. In addition to topical themes and editorial format, we focused on how women’s pages present political messages in terms of the topics addressed, style of argumentation, methods of challenging traditional gender roles, and the promotion of provocative actions. We compared the content analysis data with social development indicators and public opinion polls in the contexts of the evolution of the market and the women’s movement in Taiwan. We found that in the early stages of the women’s movement, the women’s pages mainly played the role of shaping a collective identity among the female public. During the postfeminist period, the women’s pages mainly address social problems rooted in the domestic realm and provide self-development advice.