Reportage of Decriminalizing LGBTQ Community in India by Supreme Court: Content Study of Indian Newspapers in English Language

Dr. PARTHASARATHI, Grishma KUMARI


Abstract:

India has been undergoing substantial transformations in the socio-economic, political and cultural realms which have witnessed proliferation of media in all forms. These have been actuated by factors including western education and its associated values which had resulted in the gradual disintegration of the traditional values, norms, and cultural proscriptions. Since the majority opinion in Indian society had always demonstrated a neutral stance on homosexuality, any media reportage related to homosexuals has received neutral coverage in the past. Those sections in the society which subscribe to beliefs that homosexuality is not part of the Indian culture too have found space in reporting in print media resulting in a ‘diplomatic’ coverage of homosexuality in India. This paper is instituted to provide in-depth insight into the representation of homosexuality in print media namely the national dailies for a one-week period after the Supreme Court Verdict on decriminalization of homosexuality in India. Employing content analysis of national dailies and using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, this study aims to analyze the agenda setting by the media and how it portrayed homosexuality and homosexuals post the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Keywords: Article377 of IPC; LGBTQ; Agenda setting; Supreme Court verdict; Content analysis

DOI: 10.24193/jmr.35.6

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