Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract This study explores the portrayal of women in 1990s newspapers through the lens of social semiotics. This study aims to explore how female subjects are turned into passive subjects through stereotypes, cultural codes, and semiotic mechanisms. To achieve this, nine images were purposefully chosen and examined across three levels which are as follows: representational, interactive, and compositional. At the representational level, the images portray women as social victims, ideological subjects, or as being tied to power discourses. At the interactive level, the viewing angle, distances and missing gazes highlight the passivity and detachment of women from the social environment. Moreover, at the compositional level, the application of colors, layout, the inclusion or emphasis on certain elements, and lighting highlight the social and cultural restrictions imposed on women. The findings of the study reveal that the portrayal of women in this era was predominantly shaped by patriarchal, masculine and ideological discourses, which transformed female subjects into passive subjects.