The Political Construction of Queerness: A Critical Discourse Analysis of North Carolina State Legislators

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Queer Perspectives on Educational Policy and Leadership (Table 4)

Abstract

Anti-LGBTQ policy is on an upswing across the United States. Discourse constructs the manner through which politicians shape queerness in policy arenas. This study draws on critical policy analysis (CPA) and critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine how state legislators in North Carolina discuss queer and trans youth as they pushed forward three bills into law in 2023. By situating these discursive tactics within a historical frame this study identifies how morality and martyrdom play a large role in supporting anti-LGBTQ policy. This study examines the heteronormative and dehumanizing discourse to present opportunities for resistance.

Authors

• David Osworth, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Morgan Edlin, University of South Carolina