Women and Telenovelas: Married Life and Child-rearing Under Scrutiny

Television is a major source of communication and entertainment in communities, and telenovelas hold a special place within it. These television series, very popular among women in Porto-Novo, offer much more than a simple means of relaxation. Their influence extends beyond entertainment and profoundly affects family dynamics and social structures. This research aims to analyze the effects of women in Porto-Novo's attachment to telenovelas. Based on interviews conducted with 30 women from diverse backgrounds, the study highlights both positive and negative aspects of these programs. Telenovelas enrich women by offering them alternative role models and practical lessons in human relationships. However, they also introduce significant disruptions within households. The results show that prolonged exposure to telenovelas leads to marital conflicts, often linked to behavioral changes inspired by the female characters in these series. Women adopt attitudes perceived as disrespectful towards their husbands, sometimes neglecting their domestic responsibilities and imitating the clothing styles presented on screen. There is also a noticeable acculturation of children, who abandon indigenous languages and traditions to conform to Western norms. These phenomena contribute to a gradual erosion of local sociocultural values, exacerbating tensions between modernity and tradition.