Veiled on Instagram? Representation of Veiled versus Nonveiled Women in Western and Egyptian Instagram Posts

Figures & data

Table 1. Results of analysis of variance for 2 × 2 design showing the differences between veiled and nonveiled women and between Egyptian and Western brand posts on Instagram.

Results of Two-Tailed t Test Comparing the Display of Each of the Five Variables for Veiled versus Nonveiled Models	Results of Two-Tailed t Test Comparing the Display of Each of the Five Variables for Western versus Egyptian Brands
H1: Nonveiled women display significantly more of feminine touch than veiled women in branded Instagram posts	H6: Women in Western brands’ Instagram posts display significantly more of feminine touch than in Egyptian brands’ Instagram posts
t (185) = 0.610, p = .543, Cohen’s d = 0.089	t (185) = 3.631, p = .000**, Cohen’s d = 0.531
H6(a): There is a significant difference in the feminine touch by veiled women on Instagram of Western brands than Egyptian brands.	H6(b): There is a significant difference in the feminine touch by nonveiled women on Instagram of Western brands than Egyptian brands.
t (92) = 2.406, p = .018*, Cohen’s d = 0.496	t (91) = 2.705, p = .008**, Cohen’s d = 0.560
H2: Nonveiled women display significantly more ritualization of subordination than veiled women in branded Instagram posts.	H7: Women in Western brands’ Instagram posts display significantly more ritualization of subordination than in Egyptian brands’ Instagram posts.
t (188) = 1.296, p = .197, Cohen’s d = 0.188	t (188) = 0.398, p = .691, Cohen’s d = 0.058
H3: Nonveiled women display significantly more licensed withdrawal than veiled women in branded Instagram posts.	H8: Women in Western brands’ Instagram posts display significantly more licensed withdrawal than in Egyptian brands’ Instagram posts.
t (198) = 0.515, p = .607, Cohen’s d = 0.073	t (198) = 1.360, p = .176, Cohen’s d = 0.192
H4: Nonveiled women display significantly more of body display than veiled women in branded Instagram posts.	H9: Women in Western brands’ Instagram posts display significantly more of body display than in Egyptian brands’ Instagram posts.
t (198) = 2.904, p = .004**, Cohen’s d = 0.411	t (198) = 2.336, p = .020*, Cohen’s d = 0.330
H4(a): There is a significant difference in the body display by veiled versus nonveiled women on Instagram of Western brands.	H9(a): There is a significant difference in the body display by veiled women on Instagram in Western brands than Egyptian brands.
t (98) = 2.769, p = .007**, Cohen’s d = 0.411	t (98) = 3.089, p = .003**, Cohen’s d = 0.618
H4(b): There is a significant difference in the body display by veiled versus nonveiled women on Instagram of Egyptian brands.	H9(b): There is a significant difference in the body display by nonveiled women in Western brands than Egyptian brands.
t (98) = 1.274, p = .206, Cohen’s d = 0.255	t (98) = 0.669, p = .505, Cohen’s d = 0.134
H5: Nonveiled women display significantly more independence than veiled women in branded Instagram posts.	H10: Women in Western brands’ Instagram posts display significantly more independence than in Egyptian brands’ Instagram posts.
t (198) = 0.163, p = .871, Cohen’s d = 0.023	t (198) = 1.254, p = .212, Cohen’s d = 0.177

*Significant p < .05; **significant p < .001.

Table 2. Description and coding schemes of variables used as guides for the coders.

Categories	Variables	Description
Feminine touch	1. Caressing objects 2. Touching self	Women depicted using their fingers and hands to trace the outlines of an object, cradle it, caress its surface, or effect “just barely touching”."
Ritualization of subordination	1. Female lowering herself 2. Lying/sitting on bed/sofa 3. Shy knee bend	Behaviors illustrating actions and acts of subordination, e.g., lowering oneself physically in some form or other of prostration
Licensed withdrawal	1. Covering mouth or face with hand 2. Head down or gaze aversion (looking down) 3. Expansive exaggerated smiling 4. Finger to mouth	Behaviors removing depicted women psychologically and physically from the social situation at large, leaving them unoriented in it and to it
Body display	1. Showing parts of the body 2. Face makeup 3. Nail polish 4. Seductive posture	Body-revealing clothes, excessive face makeup, nail polish, and exhibiting sexual behavior
Independence	1. Relying on/ contacting others in the picture 2. Shielding behind an object or a person	This category is based on Mee-Eun Kang to evaluate the depiction of women in terms of independence and self-assurance

Note. Based on Goffman (1979) and Kang (1997).

Table 3. Matrix 2 × 2 design showing the distribution of Instagram images of veiled versus nonveiled women in Egyptian and Western brands, with an example of veiled versus nonveiled women photos from GAP as a Western brand and Ganubi as an Egyptian brand on Instagram.

Brand	Veiled (100)	Nonveiled (100)
Western (100 paired Instagram posts) Brand name GAP	n = 50 Instagram posts	n = 50 Instagram posts
Egyptian (100 paired Instagram posts) Brand name Ganubi	n = 50 Instagram posts	n = 50 Instagram posts

Goffman, E. 1979. Gender Advertisements. London: Macmillan International Higher Education.

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Kang, M. 1997. “The Portrayal of Women’s Images in Magazine Advertisements: Goffman’s Gender Analysis Revisited.” Sex Roles 37 (11–12): 979–996.

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