Herframing

Herframing is a term used in discourse analysis and media studies to describe patterns in which female subjects are depicted or interpreted through frames that emphasize relational contexts, gendered expectations, and social roles. It focuses on how linguistic and visual cues position women within stories, often highlighting caregiving, appearance, or emotional labor rather than standalone agency or achievement.

The term emerged in scholarly discussions in the 2010s as a way to center gendered elements within broader framing theories. It is used across disciplines such as journalism studies, film and television studies, and sociolinguistics to analyze how gender influences narrative and interpretive choices. As an analytic concept, herframing complements traditional frame analysis by foregrounding gendered perspective as a core variable.

Applications of herframing include examining news coverage, advertising, cinema, and social media to identify how pronouns, descriptors, focalization, and sequencing contribute to the portrayal of women. Visual analyses may consider shot composition, lighting, and subject positioning to assess how images reinforce or resist traditional roles. For example, coverage of a female executive might foreground relational or emotional cues alongside policy decisions, while a male counterpart’s coverage might stress strategic or technical aspects. In film and television, a heroine’s arc may be framed through relationships or appearance rather than independent accomplishment.

Critics note that the concept can be broad and may overlap with existing ideas like gender framing, objectification, or feminist media theory. Proponents maintain that herframing offers a precise lens for tracing how gendered expectations shape interpretation, though it requires careful operationalization. See also: gender framing, frame analysis, discourse analysis.