Juliana Inez Luiz de Souza
Carla Cerqueira
Nelson Rosário de Souza
Daniela Drummond
The growing controversy and polarization on issues of gender and sexual diversity have been recurring news in the world. Research highlights that the term “gender ideology” has moved from the sociological framework to a political instrument against feminist and LGBT narratives. Investigations found an argumentative pattern and the profile of the people who use this expression, however, comparing the use of the term between two or more countries is rare. In this study, we comparatively analyze the use of the term “gender ideology” in the coverage of the newspapers with the greatest digital circulation in Brazil (Folha de S.Paulo) and Portugal (Expresso) between 2000 and 2019. Quantitative and qualitative Content Analysis points that even though there are quantitative and temporal differences in the presence and visibility of the term in both countries, its use has defined and standardized characteristics. The themes ‘elections’ and ‘educational policies’ impact political reactions involving the use of the term in both countries. When it is associated with education, religious and conservative groups see it as a threat to the status quo, creating more effective negative reactions.
Keywords: Gender ideology; Democracy; Journalism; Portugal; Brazil.