Framing as Localized Practices: Analyzing Policy Frames of Gay Rights in Taiwan

• In Event: Gender and Transitional Justice and Democratization in Taiwan

Abstract

The legalization of same-sex relationships in Taiwan is a highly-contested process. To better understand the discursive tools deployed by Taiwanese pro- and anti-gay rights activists, this paper adopts a thematic content analysis approach to analyze the types of frames found in activists’ messages on social media. The findings suggest that the pro-gay rights group is more likely to mention frames of anti-discrimination, equality, liberty, and identity-building while their anti-gay rights counterpart relies heavily on frames of morality, public interests, democracy, and anti-elitism. Furthermore, the pro- and anti-gay rights activists have adopted localized framing elements to construct policy messages. These localized frames can be grouped into three major themes: national identity, minority protection, and social order. The implication of this paper is that while we can observe some similar framing patterns between Taiwan and Western countries, the activists incorporate cultural objects and elements that echo with the locally shared lived experiences.

Author

• Shih-chan Dai, University of California Los Angeles