An online presentation of the results of the study “Moral panic and the representation of LGBTI in the media” will be held in the organization of the Margini Coalition on November 1 in the period from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, through the Zoom platform. You can join the event via the link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86253970233
What is a moral panic? What are the stages of its development? What are the causes and reasons for its beginning and under what conditions does it manage to be maintained? And, most importantly of all, how many and what the consequences of it can be are part of the issues that will be discussed.
The presentation of the results of the study “Moral panic and the representation of LGBTI in the media” provides answers to these questions, examining the case of the occurrence of this phenomenon in North Macedonia in the first half of 2021. The moral panic in the domestic context is examined in relation to changes in the plan of education, which were linked to gender identity and sexuality and had a direct effect on the representation of LGBTI.
Moral panic is a process in which a certain situation, episode, person or group of people acquires the status of bearers of threats to irritating issues, such as those affecting: children, parents, family values and national identity. In the context of moral panic, they are labeled as enemies who create fear in the public. As a result, individuals provoke the public to react, after which a social change takes place that entails stigmatization and violence against the persons who are seen as the causers of the unwanted changes.
Due to the evolving nature of this phenomenon, the analysis follows the waves of moral panic from the definition of the threat and the enemy, to the emergence of calls to action containing concrete diagnoses and solutions to remove the problems from the public space. The case study focuses on the role of the media in the creation of moral panic and their responsibility in sharing contributions related to the key issues driving its emergence.
“Moral panic and representation of LGBTI in the media” is part of a larger research entitled “Sexual minorities, gender and the media: Analysis of media coverage of topics related to the LGBTI community and gender-based violence”, authored by Irena Cvetkovic [Chap. investigation], Manja Velichkovska and Elena Gagovska.
The findings of the analysis will be presented by the author of the case study, Manja Velichkovska, a writer, research and project assistant in the MARGINI Coalition.
The event was realized by the MARGINI Coalition and is part of the Media Literacy Days 2022 program organized by the Media Literacy Network. About the entire program of DMP 2022 Learn more at www.mediumskapismenost.mk
