Neither Machismo Nor Feminism. Confusion and Conflict Surrounding Feminism on Social Media

Abstract

This article analyses the tensions and conflicts that arise in interactions between feminist and anti-feminist discourses on social media, with the aim of identifying how misinformation about feminist theory is expressed and understanding how it impacts feminism’s ability to generate democratic and constructive social dialogue. The methodology combines content analysis on Facebook and X with consultations with 31 feminist organisations from different Ibero-American countries. The results reveal a widespread presence of misinformation and stigmatisation of feminism in digital spaces, expressed in discourses with varying degrees of aggressiveness, ranging from the defence of traditional gender roles —often based on religious arguments— to the open dissemination of hate messages. However, a common discursive strategy based on the conceptual inversion of terms is identified. These discourses appropriate the defence of equality, often equating feminism with machismo, while spreading a distorted image of the feminist movement. The results of this study also allow us to reflect on the impacts of this confrontation on the personal and political activity of feminists, and on their right to freedom of expression.