Stances and ideologies in Nigerian pro-gay tweets

Abstract Same-sex sexuality is an important topic worth consideration, especially in Africa, where this is still highly taboo. As a result of subsisting homophobia in the Nigerian public sphere, social media provides a space for collective queer voices. Queer studies in the Nigerian context have mainly been sociological and legalistic. However, linguistic studies on the media representation of same-sex sexualities have explored how heteronormativity is accentuated, without adequate attention paid to how sexual minorities have also used language to emphasize their attitude about their situation in Nigeria. Drawing on the appraisal framework, this study examines the stances in pro-queer tweets on X by considering discourses from #EndHomophobiaInNigeria, which trended on Nigerian Twitter in 2020. Findings revealed that words, clauses, and other discursive strategies construe LGBTQ+ people as unhappy and resilient.