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!)

As a starting point perhaps Eden should be clear how he/she/they defines transphobic. Call me cynical but I suspect it is something that hurts feelz.

Another Mickey Mouse Phd. Still, money for old rope I suppose.

Oh dear oh dear. Pesky mumsnetters with all our truth telling and science following 🤣

It's actually a good thing because the daft 'apeth would have to actually read the posts on here and in doing so may even learn something or at least begin to understand that not prioritising one group at the direct expense of another is not the same thing as hating them.

If everyone goes could we use all the site acronyms and in-jokes and bamboozle them with actual MN language?

Whatever happened to critical thinking?It's a good job we're not in Scotland 🙄

According to the most recent definitions you've seen I don't think even hurty feelings are necessary. Not believing is transphobic.

Perhaps we should start talking about cakes, cheese and doing a bit of gardening.

Oh I don't know, there are plenty of posters who continually engage in these threads in bad faith and still can't seem to grasp that.

!!! Just seen this thread.

I hope they buy a few copies of Under the Duvet of Darkness (Volumes 1 and 2) before the next event. Although these books aren't directly affiliated with MN, it feels like they are only doing half a job if they don't analyse all the language in these books once it's been edited and committed to print.

Dear researchers (I'm assuming you're reading this):

1. If I say I don't believe in god, I'm not being Christianphobic
2. If I say I don't believe in Allah, I'm not being Islamophbic. Ergo....
3. If I say I don't believe that everyone has a gender identity, I'm not being transphobic. As with any other heresy or blasphemy, it only counts if you believe in it in the first place
4. I hope my use of language and formatting was to your required level of linguistic standard

Oh dear I suspect Eden will look back on
this in 10 years and consider they may have been a bit of a muppet

The Vice article is in the Bibliography 🤣

I've reserved a ticket but I hadn't noticed the date and I think I'm going to be busy.

Seriously though 'transphobic hate crimes'!?

What is a corpus approach please? Never blimmin heard of it.

this.

Does it say anywhere whether this PhD is funded by public money eg through a research council or is it self funded?

Would be pretty shocking if public money was used to fund what effectively looks like a project smearing women with a protected belief as transphobic.

IANAL but stating ''my project aims...to examine transphobic hate crimes on Mumsnet'' is quite bold, no?

lol at pink news being cited as a reference 😆

Eden doesn't seem to understand that for there to be a hate crime there actually has to be a crime. So if a GC mumsnetter punched her in the face at her talk it could be a hate crime - not that anyone would actually do that obviously. Writing on a post on mumsnet that transwomen are not women and shouldn't be in women's spaces is not a crime, nor is saying that children shouldn't be medicated or have surgery because they think they are trans. So Eden's PhD seems to be on rather shaky ground.

Maybe lacks the impartiality required of actual research?

Positively defamatory.

What's 'non-linguistic transphobic rhetoric', interpretive dance? And how would that word on these boards?

like this.

Idly wonders which mumsnetter on FWR Eden is? 😅

On the plus side, this article that she cites doesn't think we are all transphobes and points out that we are quite knowledgeable about the suffragettes.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2022.2032788