Rainbow Flags and Rubber Bullets : A Framing Analysis of LGBTI+ and Pride in Contemporary Turkey

Abstract: The LGBTI+ community in Turkey are regularly subjected to discrimination, threats andviolence. This study aims to analyze how two Turkish newspapers cover LGBTI+ in Turkey,with a time frame of the last ten years and a sub-focus on the ban of Istanbul pride in 2015. Ipresent a qualitative approach to the study based on framing analysis regarding mediacoverage. The analysis applies to articles and citations within these, using four different‘frames’ adapted from previous research; equality frame, victim frame, morality frame andpropaganda of homosexuality frame. The results show a decrease of LGBTI+ coveragewithin the examined time frame and a variation of frame usage. There are indications that thepride ban of 2015 may have been a shifting point for framing regarding both articles andcitations. The results also uncover a substantial decrease in the quantity of coverage on thetopic. The results of the two newspapers differ, indicating different media outlets portrayLGBTI+ people in diverse ways.