Combating Anti-Feminism and Building Strategies for Gender Equality

The World of Digital Feminist Media Activism in Brazil and France

Authors

  • Mariana Fagundes-Ausani University of Brasília, University of Rennes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.12025.2

Keywords:

Digital Feminism, Media Activism, Online Harassment, Anti-feminism, Feminist Journalism, Cyber-violence, Emotional Labor, Collective Identities

Abstract

This study examines digital feminist media outlets in Brazil and France, exploring their strategies to promote gender equality and combat hate speech. Focusing on three outlets from each country, the research employs a multi-site ethnographic approach, including 63 in-depth interviews with content producers, support teams, and audiences. The findings reveal that discovering sexist and exclusionary sociopolitical structures often catalyzes engagement in feminist activism, with emotional responses—particularly anger and frustration—serving as primary drivers for action. Engagement in digital feminist spaces fosters collective exchange and creates connections extending beyond the digital sphere. The research highlights the complex interplay between digital platforms, feminist ideology, and grassroots activism in shaping contemporary gender equality movements, contributing to our understanding of how digital feminist media navigate online activism challenges while fostering community and driving social change.

Author Biography

Mariana Fagundes-Ausani, University of Brasília, University of Rennes

Mariana Fagundes-Ausani is a journalist, writer and researcher. She has a PhD in Communication (University of Brasília) and in Information and Communication (University of Rennes), and she also holds a master’s degree in Journalism and Society (UnB) and an MBA in Marketing and Digital Media (FGV). She is a member of the French laboratory Arènes, a mixed research unit in the humanities and social sciences, and of the Laboratory of journalistic practices and identities (LaPIJ) at ULB.

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Published

2025-01-29

How to Cite

Fagundes-Ausani, Mariana. 2025. “Combating Anti-Feminism and Building Strategies for Gender Equality: The World of Digital Feminist Media Activism in Brazil and France”. Politikon: The IAPSS Journal of Political Science 59 (1). Online:33-62. https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.12025.2.