| Abstract [eng] |
This thesis examines the construction and politicization of “gender-critical” / “TERF” discourse in digital spaces. The discourse is analysed as a system of meaning in which biological sex, the category of “woman,” women’s rights, and trans activism become objects of political conflict. The thesis aims to examine the rhetorical strategies, ideological assumptions, and mechanisms of platformed communication through which this discourse acquires political significance. The research combines digital ethnography and critical discourse analysis; the empirical material consists of public “X” posts from 2023–2025 and public texts produced by “gender-critical” actors. The analysis focuses on recurring discursive frames, actors, keywords, visibility logics, and rhetorical strategies through which biological sex is presented as the basis of political recognition, while the inclusion of transgender people is represented as a threat to women’s rights, safety, child protection, sport, and institutional order. The thesis shows that “gender-critical” / ”TERF” discourse on “X” operates through recurring oppositions, threat-and-protection narratives, and short, easily recognizable formulations that become tools of political mobilization and identification. |
