The representation of women in COVID-19 discourses: The analysis of Sara Mills' critical discourse on media coverage

Abstract

The article aims to map the representation of female figures in the mass media in the COVID-19 discourses. This study is scoped into a female figure known as Siti Fadilah Supari (SFS). SFS's representation starts from her inauguration as an educated woman who has an authority to speak in the medical field. A descriptive qualitative approach was used; the data source was lingual phenomenon in all of SFS’s articles in the COVID-19 discourses published in Kompas and Republika newspapers on May 26 and 27, 2020. Data were collected using observational method with indirect conversational technique. Then, the data were analyzed using the framework of the Sara Mills’ model of critical discourse analysis. The results showed that the Subject-Object Position reveals that SFS is always in the object position and displayed by other parties. Furthermore, from the Reader Position, it reveals the existence of Republika's partiality to the SFS which is based on the sympathy of the Islamic public, while Kompas describes SFS as a violator of the law. It is concluded that women's representation in the media is not yet sovereign and independent because there is no framing of SFS as a female figure who has the authority of medical science to talk about COVID-19.