‘If You Wait for the Right Moment, It Might Never Come – Do It Now’ : A Study of Discourse on Reproduction and Representations of Parenthood in Bulgarian Media Initiatives to Stimulate a Higher Birth Rate

Abstract: This study examines the discourses on reproduction and parenthood produced through media initiatives aimed at stimulating a higher birth rate in Bulgaria. It focuses on gender inequality issues in Bulgaria through the lenses of feminist media theory, cultural studies and theoretical frameworks from critical discourse analysis. Using Fairclough's three-dimensional model for a critical discourse analysis, the research explores the gender roles represented in media advert initiatives in collaboration with the campaign 'Do it now' and public discourse through the media initiative 'Parents on time'.The study reveals how motherhood and fatherhood are portrayed, and whether the discourse on reproductive responsibilities and fertility issues correspond to traditional gender roles. The analysis critically explores the use of sexist stereotypes and stigmas, and how women and men are positioned in relation to them. Results point to a predominant focus on women, reinforcement of traditional gender roles, and exclusion of men from discourse on fertility and parenthood. Thus, this thesis makes an academic contribution to the subjects of gender inequality and media representations in the context of contemporary Bulgarian society.