Lesson 2.2: Media Effects & Public Attitudes

1. How media shape social attitudes

‘Anti-gender’ media discourses do more than provoke short-lived outrage - they gradually reshape how societies see feminist, queer, and trans movements. By repeatedly framing queer-feminist resistance as dangerous, illegitimate, or foreign, the media normalises suspicion and hostility. Over time, these portrayals erode public trust, silence activists, and make discrimination appear rational or even necessary.

In this topic, you will explore how media representation shapes social attitudes and political outcomes. We’ll examine how sustained negative coverage influences legitimacy, vulnerability, and access to resources for gender and sexual rights movements across Europe and beyond.