Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Pisang, Abigail D.G. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Beyond the Woman in Action: an analysis of Gretchen Ho's gender identity performance as the host of Woman In Action |
| Date Issued | 12 December 2025 |
| Abstract | Gender representation in media has historically been biased against women, reflecting broader societal perceptions that marginalize their visibility and authority. Despite ongoing efforts to resist these biases, women remain under- and misrepresented across media spaces. This study examines how a female media personality performs and negotiates gender identity in non-fiction formats, using Gretchen Ho, host of Woman In Action (WIA), as a case study. Anchored in Goffman’s framework of self-presentation and impression management and informed by Hall’s theory of representation, the study employs a qualitative approach combining content analysis of selected WIA episodes with a semi-structured interview with Ho. The content analysis identifies observable strategies of self-presentation, while the interview provides contextual insight into Ho’s reflections on authenticity, credibility, and empowerment. Findings indicate that Ho negotiates her gender identity through a selective approach to self-presentation. Professional credibility, authenticity, and inclusive engagement guide her on-screen performance, while gender is foregrounded only when socially or narratively relevant; otherwise, it functions as a contextual rather than defining element of her hosting practice. The impression management strategies identified on-screen are reinforced through patterns emerging from the interview. By performing gender on her own terms and often non-foregrounding it, Ho contributes to the normalization of women’s presence and authority in male-dominated media spaces. The study demonstrates how gendered identity in media performance can operate subtly through professional practice, producing representational effects without constant or explicit justification. |
| Degree Course | BA Broadcast Media Arts and Studies |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | impression management; media representation; women representation; self-presentation; gender identity performance; Gretchen Ho; Woman In Action |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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Category : F - Regular work, i.e., it has no patentable invention or creation, the author does not wish for personal publication, there is no confidential information.
Access Permission : Open Access