Female representations on Greek media and Greek women’s (un)employment before and after the Covid-19 pandemic

This study examines female representation on Greek media as an aspect of social power, arguing that women worldwide face discrimination that is aggravated by socio-economic crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and that Greek mass media maintain a discriminative stance that feeds gender stereotypes affecting women as entrepreneurs or employees.

The study investigates how Greek women perceive their own position and treatment within society and the workplace, and how Greek mass media represent the female figure, especially after the outbreak of the pandemic.

Interview responses were consistent regarding how women are treated by society and media, with more varied responses regarding employers; interviewees agreed on stereotyped employer behaviour against mothers in the workplace, and media extracts included in the study showed a distorted, underrepresented image of women.

The study concludes that Greece retains a strongly patriarchal, conservative mindset positioning women primarily as mothers and carers, and that while statistics suggest worse working conditions for women after Covid-19 compared to men, the study finds no substantial evidence to conclude this stems specifically from gender discrimination rather than broader economic conditions.