Gender ideology” as a political instrument in newspapers in Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

The sociological concept of ‘gender ideology’ was redefined from the 1990s and became a political instrument against feminist and LGBT+ narratives. The politicization of this expression is a challenge for gender and sexual diversity studies, as it generates barriers in policies, in the research agenda, and transnational action with governments, media, and other social agents. In this Content Analysis, we compare the use of the expression in the coverage of newspapers with the greatest digital circulation in Brazil (Folha de S. Paulo) and Portugal (Expresso) between 2000 and 2019. What does it inform about the current stage of the discursive dispute around that expression? The results indicate the consolidation of the term in a conservative bias, similar patterns in the speeches and profiles of those who use it, and points out that the greatest political reactions occur when it is associated with the themes ‘elections’ and ‘education’.