Debating "Alternative" Gender Identities: The Online Discourse Triggered by 2014 Life Ball Advertising Posters

Authors

  • Irmgard Wetzstein University of Vienna
  • Brigitte Huber University of Vienna

Keywords:

social media, online forum, online discourse, gender, gender identity, transgender, gay people, sociology of knowledge, advertising, Life Ball

Abstract

The article examines an online discourse induced by two advertising posters created by photographer David LaChapelle for the Life Ball, an AIDS charity event in Vienna in 2014, depicting a nude transgender model. We consulted 1,897 posts on highly frequented Austrian online forums to explore and analyze the discourse’s organization, thematic and argumentative patterns, and contrary positions using the sociology-of-knowledge approach. Connected mainly to the “doing gender” perspective, the findings shed light on collective knowledge repertoires of “alternative” gender identities. We inter alia conclude that at least in Austria, transgender and gay people are framed physically rather than socially and indeed as alternative to the overall norm of gender duality and heterosexuality.

Author Biographies

Irmgard Wetzstein, University of Vienna

Irmgard Wetzstein is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Vienna/Department of Communication and was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities/School of Journalism and Mass Communication (January – May 2015). Her research interests include societal and discursive potentials as well as technological implications of social media, political communication, conflict communication, visual communication, journalism, social research methods, and advertising.

Brigitte Huber, University of Vienna

Brigitte Huber is Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Vienna/Department of Communication. Her research interests include political communication, science communication, market/opinion research, social media, and journalism.

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Published

2016-01-06

Issue

Vol. 10 (2016)

Section

Articles

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