Symbolic violence and discrimination in a social media comment section: A study on discriminatory discursive strategies targeting non-binary gender identity in the context of Indonesia

Abstract

AbstractThis study examines the presence of discriminatory discourses and symbolic violence in the digital realm within the context of Indonesia. The objective of this research is to identify the discriminatory strategies towards non-heteronormative gender identity within the comment section of an Instagram post published by VICE Indonesia and to comprehend how these strategies function as mechanisms of symbolic violence. The study was conducted qualitatively by analyzing notable comments in the primary data source, which is an Instagram post addressing the issue of non-binary gender in the Indonesian context. To ensure a comprehensive analysis of the comments, only representative comments were included. The data was categorized based on four discriminatory discursive strategies, and subsequently interpreted through the lens of symbolic violence. The results show that the utilization of discriminatory discursive strategies includes the negative portrayal of the other, which involves labeling the out-group using words such as penyimpangan and gangguan jiwa, scare tactics, which are used to stir worries, blaming the victim, by justifying discrimination towards the out-group by emphasizing their negative qualities, and delegitimation, by highlighting the illegitimate status of the out-group. Additionally, the employment of these strategies is argued to transmit symbolic violence as a way to maintain doxa. Furthermore, the transmission of symbolic violence is discussed further and related to the sociocultural context of Indonesia.

Keywords

• discriminatory discursive strategies
• gender
• non-binary
• social media
• symbolic violence