Privatization in a Finnish Presidential Election. Coverage of Straight vs. Gay Spouses in Newspapers

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Poster Session: Feminist Scholarship Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

In the paper, the privatization of politics is considered by analyzing the newspaper coverage and imagery of two candidates’ spouses during the second round of the 2012 Finnish presidential campaign. During the campaign, the spouses were reported on more frequently than during previous campaigns; one couple was gay, and one was straight. What the newspapers reported about the spouses, how balanced the coverage of them was, and how intimate issues in the relationships were described in public were analyzed. The method was a qualitative content analysis. The results show the role of the spouse was treated as was traditional in newspapers, but a gay spouse muddled the traditional gendered frames a little. The level of privatization seemed to be high, and the couples used different strategies to protect their privacy. In addition, methodological challenges and the political meaning of the coverage of the spouses are discussed.

Author

• Pekka Isotalus, U of Tampere