Discourse Coalitions against Gender and sexual Equality: Antifeminism as a common Denominator between the Radical Right and the Mainstream?

This study examines whether opposition against gender and sexual equality is a common denominator between the radical right, political actors, and mainstream media in Germany. The study hypothesizes that socially shared sexist beliefs and gender stereotypes offer access points to public discourse for anti-egalitarian counterpublics, legitimizing their contestations of gender and sexual equality. This hypothesis is tested in a quantitative frame analysis of n = 1102 articles in 18 digital media outlets from diverse anti-egalitarian counterpublics (anti-feminist men’s rights activists, feminists, Christian fundamentalists, radical right, and far-left media) and mainstream media. The study results offer a current overview of the framing of gender and sexual equality in mainstream and counterpublic media in Germany: Discourse on gender equality and LGBTQI rights takes up the most space. The framing of these topics is less controversial than the highly contested discussion of gender roles and reproductive rights. Discourse coalitions between anti-egalitarian counterpublics and established actors become visible in the neosexist and gender-traditional frame, pointing to the relevance of neosexist convictions and gender traditionalism as a common denominator between these actors. Across all frames, a common oppositional strategy is reframing gender and sexual equality issues into threat scenarios to families and society.