A monster, a pervert, and an anti-hero: the discursive construction of Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Louis C.K. in humorous #MeToo memes

Abstract

This article explores the portrayal of Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. in Internet memes at the height of #MeToo. Investigating how they are portrayed on social media platforms that encourage humorous content, the article explores how this humorous discursive space frames sexual violence within a “just a joke” discourse. The portrayal of the three men reveals a discursive construction of sexual violence as “just sex” and puts the blame and the responsibility on the victims. Bringing together feminist theories of sexual violence with digital media methods, the article investigates the discourse unique to the Internet meme. The article demonstrates how certain notions about gender and sexuality are discursively reproduced in online spaces that privilege heterosexual men and exclude women and homosexual men. The article traces how sexual violence is characterized in different ways depending on who the men are: Weinstein as a monstrous other, Spacey as a perverted homosexual and pedophile, and C.K. as an antihero.