Lesson 2.2: Media Effects & Public Attitudes
In this topic, you will examine how sustained negative media coverage impacts public perceptions of feminist, queer, and trans movements. You'll consider how media frames these groups – as dangerous, illegitimate, or foreign – and how such narratives contribute to hostility, marginalisation, funding difficulties, or policy backlash. This topic also highlights how selective visibility and misrepresentation affect the legitimacy and safety of queer, feminist, and trans movements.
2. How framing produces hostility
2.1. IRELAND: Erosion of trust and fear of public misrepresentation
In Ireland, this erosion of trust was deeply personal. Most participants reported moderating or limiting their social media and other media interactions because they feared being set up for ‘debates’ in which their words could be twisted or taken out of context. As the report shows:
“People feared being set up for a debate in which their words could be twisted; they felt that they would be pressured to speak on areas they were not equipped to address. This left a void that meant anti-trans rhetoric, in particular, was left unchallenged.” (RESIST Ireland Report, p. 14)
An atmosphere of mistrust and fatigue silences public advocacy. As activists withdraw, the public space becomes dominated by more aggressive ‘anti-gender’ voices. For those who remain online, ‘immunity’ to attacks develops over time, but the sense of exposure and risk persists, especially as allies leave these spaces, making the hostility feel even more isolating.
