W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki analizy ilościowej i jakościowej tekstów oraz ilustracji zamieszczonych na okładkach wybranych tygodników opinii (Polityka, Newsweek Polska, Wprost, Sieci, Do Rzeczy) w latach 2015–2018, na których pojawiła się Beata Szydło. Prowadzone badania miały na celu pokazanie czy wizerunek polityczki wykreowany w badanych materiałach zbudowano poprzez ekspozycję cech męskich czy kobiecych? Ponadto poszukiwano odpowiedzi na pytanie, jaką rolę redakcje powierzyły Beacie Szydło oraz czy sympatie polityczne redakcji mogą oddziaływać na kreację wizerunku polityczki? Przeprowadzone analizy wykazały, że polityczka była postrzegana przez pryzmat funkcji premiera i wyposażona głównie w cechy usytuowane na skali męskości, a preferencje polityczne redakcji oddziaływały na sposób jej prezentowania na okładkach tygodników. Zaprezentowane badania powinny być sygnałem do dalszej dyskusji nie tylko nad medialnym wizerunkiem kobiet, ale także nad jego możliwym wpływem na obecność kobiet w życiu politycznym oraz odziaływaniem preferencji politycznych redakcji na sposób kreowania obrazu kobiet zaangażowanych w życie polityczne, dlatego regularne badania w tym zakresie wydają się być w pełni zasadne.

Femininity vs Masculinity in the Creation of Beata Szydło’s Image on the Covers of Selected Polish Opinion Weeklies in 2015–2018

The article presents the results of quantitative and qualitative analysis of texts and illustrations on the covers of selected opinion weeklies (Polityka, Newsweek Polska, Wprost, Sieci, Do Rzeczy) in 2015–2018, in which Beata Szydło, the former Prime Minister of Poland, appeared. The research was aimed at showing whether the politician’s image created in the materials studied was built by displaying her masculine or feminine features. In addition, the research questions concerned the role the editors attributed to Beata Szydło and whether the political preferences of the editorial board could have had an impact on the creation of her image on the covers? The analyses showed that the politician was perceived through the prime minister’s function and equipped mainly with features situated on the masculinity scale. Also conveying that the political preferences of the editorial board affected the way it was presented on the covers of opinion weeklies. In addition, the obtained results concluded that the image of Beata Szydło, created on the covers of opinion magazines, is a combination of the masculine and feminine model of leadership. The presented research should be a signal for further discussion not only on the media representation of women, but also on its possible impact on the presence of women in political life, as well as the influence of the editorial board’s political preferences on the created image of women engaged in political life, therefore regular research in this area seem to be fully justified.

The article presents the results of quantitative and qualitative analysis of texts and illustrations on the covers of selected opinion weeklies (Polityka, Newsweek Polska, Wprost, Sieci, Do Rzeczy) in 2015–2018, in which Beata Szydło, the former Prime Minister of Poland, appeared. The research was aimed at showing whether the politician’s image created in the materials studied was built by displaying her masculine or feminine features. In addition, the research questions concerned the role the editors attributed to Beata Szydło and whether the political preferences of the editorial board could have had an impact on the creation of her image on the covers? The analyses showed that the politician was perceived through the prime minister’s function and equipped mainly with features situated on the masculinity scale. Also conveying that the political preferences of the editorial board affected the way it was presented on the covers of opinion weeklies. In addition, the obtained results concluded that the image of Beata Szydło, created on the covers of opinion magazines, is a combination of the masculine and feminine model of leadership. The presented research should be a signal for further discussion not only on the media representation of women, but also on its possible impact on the presence of women in political life, as well as the influence of the editorial board’s political preferences on the created image of women engaged in political life, therefore regular research in this area seem to be fully justified.