A Tale of Two Countries - Media Coverage of the #MeToo movement in the USA and Portugal

• In Event: Sociology of Sex and Gender Section Open Call Paper Session-Gender, Media, and Power: Representation, Resistance, and Ideology

Abstract

Since its emergence, the #MeToo movement has evolved into a transnational phenomenon, with each country shaping its own national discourse. While much research has focused on these localized adaptations, the movement’s broader comparative potential remains understudied. Only recently has an emerging body of research begun addressing this gap by examining international (dis)similarities, particularly how journalists, activists, legislators, and politicians strategically frame their claims through #MeToo. This line of inquiry is especially relevant in an era of increasing polarization and radicalization, as it reveals who defines the movement and through what frames. The ideological construction and politicization of #MeToo serve as critical indicators of both the movement’s transformative potential and its role in maintaining the status quo, in shaping broader media discourse on gender equality and its public resonance. This paper analyzes media coverage of #MeToo in the U.S. and Portugal, examining how two distinct national contexts engage with and within a global movement. Through a content analysis of the past seven years of coverage of each country’s leading newspaper, we identify striking regularities in raising public awareness of sexual violence, despite their distinct political and media systems.

Authors

• Ana Prata, California State University-Northridge

• Beatriz Ribeiro, Universidade Nova de Lisboa