A corpus-assisted discourse analysis of linguistic transphobia on Mumsnet

[IwantToRetire]

By Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics

It has been suggested that the forum-style parenting website Mumsnet is a hub for ‘gender-critical’ feminism, which directly opposes transgender rights, to be practised with little moderation (Livingston, 2018). This presentation reports on the initial stages of a project aiming to investigate that the potential intensification of linguistic transphobia on Mumsnet may lead to further marginalisation of transgender people offline (Powys Maurice, 2021). Though studies of non-linguistic transphobic rhetoric on Mumsnet (e.g., Pedersen, 2022; Mackenzie, 2019), and discourse analyses of other radical online communities (e.g., Krendel, 2020) have both occurred, this project is the first to analyse linguistic transphobia on Mumsnet. It also contributes to existing literature surrounding UK-based ‘gender-critical’ feminism; linguistic transphobia; and radical online community discourses.

The presentation explores the rise of potentially ‘gender-critical’ linguistic transphobia on Mumsnet over time through the corpus linguistic (CL) analysis of the ‘Feminism: Sex & Gender Discussions’ board, using three corpora comprising a fifteen-year timeframe: 2008-2013; 2013-2018; and 2018-2023. As the project is still ongoing, preliminary findings will be presented, namely a comparative overview of trends yielded in frequency analyses. Overall, this presentation provides insights into the growing commonality of potentially ‘gender-critical’ feminist rhetoric on Mumsnet and its effect on increasing transphobic discourse on the site.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-corpus-assisted-discourse-analysis-of-linguistic-transphobia-on-mumsnet-tickets-880795271367?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

(I had just finished my favourite tea time treat of catching up on FWR and was going to get back to the grindstone when this popped up on my feed. So have come back as it is too good not to be shared. Enjoy!)

It looks like Eden has taken her LinkedIn profile down.

I do feel sorry for her and this isn't her fault. Aston have been completely thoughtless about researcher harm and downright dodgy with the forum scraping.

I think that some review and rethinking of this will be good for this PhD student, in the long run.

I'm just wondering if we are all being a bit niave thinking supervisors and unversity authorities would behave in a professional balanced way.

After all for all we know this student is the direct product of her (expensive?) education.

What impact would having a lecturer with a belief public stated teaching you?

https://twitter.com/NixxiJ

apologies for those not on twitter X

Sorry @Someonescatmum , I missed your post making the same point as mine but earlier! I’d love to get a reply though.

Curious that the event is still there, given what's been taken down. If it does go ahead it should be really interesting...

Indeed! It will be a very difficult thesis to write and pass.

Honestly, all aspects lead to poor supervision and guidance.

As a potentially unconsenting research subject of one of her students, I don’t think we need avoid naming the supervisor: Nicci MacLeod

https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/persons/nicci-macleod

Given that Eden has taken down both LinkedIn and Twitter, but the event still stands my guess is that

a) she’s reading this
b) Aston have not linked the MN request about the corpus to her PhD and
c) Aston do not know about this thread.

We’ll obviously she’s completely impartial

so she & Eden have decided mumsnet is transphobic and she’s supervising a phd to prove it

well I for one am sure it’ll be a totally fair & even handed approach

For those not on twitter

I'm currently imagining the interesting pie charts that will be in the final version:

70% of mumsnet users who think transwomen are men also like the stronger flavoured blue cheeses. 65% of those claiming that transwomen are women in only limited circumstances liked mature cheddar. Whilst 99% of those who believed transwomen are women in all circumstances overwhelmingly liked supermarket own brand mild cheddar.

Those who thought transwomen are men but didn't like stronger flavoured cheeses predominantly drank gin.

It does rather bring impartiality in this work into question too doesn’t it? If I was being accused of a transphobic hate crime I would certainly raise questions of bias if she was produced as an expert witness.

” I have provided expert reports to a number of UK Police forces, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, The Independent Police Complaints Commission, defence teams and private individuals in over 60 criminal and civil cases. I have appeared as an expert witness in the Crown Court of England & Wales, and both the Sherriff's Court and High Court of Justiciary in Scotland. I am listed on the National Crime Agency's Expert Advisors Database.”

There is a part of me that thinks no doubt being named on FWR will be regarded as a badge of honour by someones who thinks miseducating young people about the realities of biology is so astonishingly virtuous that they frame their internet presence by signalling it.

The University seemed to have 'scraped' this site for data in a very ethically dubious manner.

Self justification fallacy, innit.

Wot about the weetabix

DINNAE FUCKING WHEESHTABIT THE WHEETABIXT

Especially while using Mumsnet’s log to advertise their event!

Personally I'm looking forward to reading the chapter on mumsnet transphobic rhetoric through the medium of poetry and gifs!

Do you think weetabix deserves its own chapter and pie charts separate to cheese?

Ha she’s changed that banner since 4pm.

And if you ever want proof in metaphorical form that men’s wants trump women’s rights that is it.

She must know about the thread.

Ha she’s changed that banner since 4pm.

What was it before?

The Mumsnet logo's still the banner on my ticket confirmation...

I’m not on Twitter. It would be a service to send the supervisor a link to Jo Phoenix’s employment tribunal outcomes. The TRA OU academics were rightly castigated by the judge and panel in their report. It might buy you social approval in your peer group but it doesn’t come across well to the GBP or anyone capable of critical thought.