Masculine Hegemony through Humor in Pakistan: A Linguistic Study

The aim of this paper is to examine Pakistani jokes shared on social media that promote masculine hegemony through humor, specifically focusing on sexist jokes made at the expense of Pakistani women. The study aims to investigate how these jokes promote gender inequity and strengthen male dominance in Pakistan's patriarchal society. By subtly conveying prejudice and unfavorable opinions, jokes can influence readers' unconscious prejudices (Allport, 1954; Freud, 2004). The paper investigates how language is used to support sexist sentiments and is divided into four sections that examine how women are portrayed in language, in public and private settings, and as sexual objects. The study employs Foucault’s social aspect of discourse (1970) and Van Dijk's (2003) critical discourse analysis.