“Our flag is not sexuality”: discursive construction in @gaycombolsonaro on Twitter

Villela, Gabriel Merlim Moraes; Giorgi, Maria Cristina; Calixto, Roberta

doi:10.1590/1809-58442022122en

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Articles • Intercom, Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Comun. 45 • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-58442022122en copy

“Our flag is not sexuality”: discursive construction in @gaycombolsonaro on Twitter

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the discursive construction of the movement Gays com Bolsonaro through its Twitter profile (@gaycombolsonaro). From their discursive practices, we illuminate their alliances with elements of heterocisexism (BORRILLO, 2010; JUN, 2018) and the consequent legitimation of this ideology. Based on the Discourse Analysis (ROCHA, 2014) and on the tweets and retweets of this self-titled “new LGBT movement”, we point out how the formation of this online discursive network – constitutive of this movement – has, as one of its bases, the polemic negation (DUCROT, 1987) that it establishes in relation to the previous movements. In this sense, we note the construction of a type of nationalist discourse that is produced in opposition to the discussions and agendas of the LGBTI movement, contributing to its erasure.

Keywords
LGBTI movements; Twitter; Heterocissexism; Right movements; Discourse Analysis

Polemic negations	Underlying assertions
“The world is not just gay; but of citizens” (tweet 3)	“The world is only gay; and not of citizens” “gays are citizens”
“The world is not just for gays….but for CITIZENS” (tweet 7)	“The world is only for gays….and not for CITIZENS” “gays are CITIZENS”
“Sexuality does not interfere with my character!” (tweet 8)	“Sexuality interferes with my character!”
“I’m not proud to be gay, because that doesn’t define character, I’m proud to be who I am” (tweet 16)	“I’m proud to be gay because that defines character, I’m not proud to be who I am”
“Sexuality does not define anyone, character does” (tweet 37)	“Sexuality defines someone, character does not”
“[...] [we]⁶ 6 In Portuguese, it is possible to construct sentences without using the subject explicitly, thus, we chose to recreate a similar structure in order to try to reproduce – at the best way possible – the meaning effects in the original language. don’t need rights for minorities” (tweet 2)	“(...) we do need rights for minorities”
“Sexuality or gender doesn’t make anyone special” (tweet 23)	“Sexuality or gender makes someone special”
“Nobody wants problems” (tweet 13)	“Somebody wants problems”
“Our flag is not sexuality. Our flag is Brazil” (tweet 36)	“Our flag is sexuality. Our flag is not Brazil”

Lexicon	Meaning effects
“I AM GAY AND I VOTE FOR BOLSONARO, LET’S STOP BEING SNOWFLAKES” (tweet 5)	Being gay and opposing Bolsonaro because of his stance on LGBTI is being a snowflake.
“Because I’m not depraved” (tweet 22, in reply to “[...]. What is your theoretical basis for being against the LGBTQ movement?”)	Supporting the agendas and the “LGBTQ movement” is depravity, dialoguing with prejudices that hypersexualize LGBTI bodies and relationships.
“GENDER IDEOLOGY? ‘This is the devil’s thing!’ - @jairbolsonaro [...]” (tweet 26)	Issues of gender and sexuality (designated under the nickname “GENDER IDEOLOGY”) are “devil’s things” to be fought, preferably by religious means.

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[1] Gabriel Merlim Moraes Villela

Undergraduate student in Social Sciences in Federal University Fluminense (UFF), and graduated from high school/technical education at Cefet/RJ, where he developed research in Discourse Analysis, on the production of videos on the Internet by young black LGBTI people. He is a researcher linked to the Laboratory of Analysis and Research in Democracy and Cities (LADEC-UFF), to the International Policy Analysis Group (GAPI-UFF), to the research groups Studies on Violence (UFF) and Discursive practices in the production of social identities: human factors, organizations, work, technology and society (Cefet-RJ). Gabriel is dedicated to the areas of political science, discourse analysis and education, focusing on studies of gender and sexualities, online political participation, media and forms of violence. E-mail: villelagmm@gmail.com.