From Mockery to Advocacy: Dissecting LGBTQ+ Narratives in Mexican Spanish-Language Media

Purpose: To analyze the discourses on LGBTQ+ rights in Mexico by analyzing Spanish-language YouTube comments, to understand how discrimination, marginalization, and social perceptions of LGBTQ+ individuals are constructed and reproduced in digital spaces. Methodological design: A qualitative approach grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA, following Fairclough’s four-stage model (2013), was employed. A corpus titled LGBTQ+dis was compiled from comments on 16 YouTube videos selected using intuitive search terms related to LGBTQ+ topics. A filtered subset of 5 496 comments containing relevant terms was retained from an initial pool of 27 438 comments, resulting in a corpus of 421 639 words. The AntConc software was used to examine concordances and word frequencies. Results: The analysis revealed widespread use of discriminatory language, stereotypes, and exclusionary themes, reflecting broader societal prejudices against LGBTQ+ individuals. Nonetheless, the comments also included expressions of solidarity, support, and advocacy, highlighting YouTube as a contested space where both marginalizing and empowering discourses coexist. Research limitations: The use of intuitively selected search terms and publicly available comments limits the data´s representativeness and excludes perspectives from less digitally active users. Findings: Digital discourse on LGBTQ+ issues in Mexico reveals tension between dominant narratives of exclusion and emergent counter-narratives advocating for equality and recognition. These dynamics emphasize the importance of fostering inclusive digital literacy and public awareness to challenge discriminatory discourse and promote LGBTQ+ communities’ visibility and dignity.