Soberanas de nuestros cuerpos: networked framing of abortion legalization in Argentina

Abstract

Abstract This study presents a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the networked frames built in Twitter trending hashtags by proponents and opponents of abortion legalization in Argentina. The online discourses exemplified the dynamics of networked framing, where activists reshaped their framing of issues through crowdsourcing practices. While both sides focused their attention on defining violence and deservingness, the impact of abortion on democracy, and the appropriate geopolitical scope of the debate, they developed stark oppositional views. Supporters of legalization defined illegal abortion as state-sponsored violence against gestating people and highlighted transnational solidarities. On the other hand, pro-life users identified legal abortion as state-sponsored violence against the unborn and accused pro-abortion politicians of subverting the democratic rights of the pro-life majority. Both movements portrayed themselves as embodying reason and righteousness while projecting negative connotations onto their counterparts. Our findings provide a nuanced examination of the discursive work of Global South feminists whose advocacy shifted policy against formidable opposition.