Implicit homophobia in the Moral Maze

Since our last post, we have continued to work on the analysis of three episodes of the Moral Maze, in which the question of same-sex marriage is debated. This is our current focus, though future strands to the Discourses of Marriage project will include the analysis of how the debate has been represented in the print media.

From the Moral Maze broadcasts that we have analysed, we have concentrated to date on the strategies which are used by speakers taking an anti-same-sex marriage position to justify this stance without being explicitly homophobic. However, we have found that, typically, these strategies lead to implicitly homophobic discourse; the argument against equal marriage for gay and straight people is based, in these broadcasts, on the assumption that gay and straight relationships are different. Indeed, the arguments put forwards by those opposing same-sex marriage tend to rely on discursive strategies which position same-sex couples as deviant when compared to heterosexual couples; though words such as 'deviant' and 'normal' are not used, heterosexual relationships are defined in terms of biological complementarity, social cohesion and historical normalcy. Through these strategies, it is implied that same-sex relationships do not fit a 'natural' model, pose a threat to social order, and are 'other'. Importantly, this rhetoric enables marriage between same-sex couples to be defined as illogical, dangerous, risky and with unknown consequences - allowing marriage to be extended to same-sex couples is presented as being a slippery slope, based on the argument that the law would redefine marriage and thus could potentially endanger it.

Our current work is focused on the development of a clear framework for the analysis of implicit homophobic argument structure. This will focus on linguistic strategies but consider them in relation to the level of discourse, in order to understand how they may, in a given context, serve to position homosexuality as deviant or 'other'. We hope that this work will emphasise the fact that homophobia exists in often hidden ways; strategies which imply that same-sex relationships are not equal to opposite-sex ones are less visible or obvious than those which overtly demonize lesbian, gay and bisexual people, but they play an equally important role in the reproduction of homophobic discourse.

The Discourses of Marriage research group are:

Isabelle van der Bom (Sheffield), Laura Coffey-Glover (Huddersfield), Lucy Jones (Hull), Laura Paterson (Leeds) and Sara Mills (Sheffield Hallam).