Don’t Say Gay or No More Gay: A Content Analysis of Media Reporting on the Parental Rights in Education Bill

Abstract

As media becomes increasingly more polarized, the priming and framing devices used while discussing social policy legislation have greatly contributed to the growing partisan lens of the public. Specifically, the introduction of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s HB 1557 “Parental Rights in Education Bill” or “Don’t Say Gay” has led to a rise in discussion targeting the civil rights and liberties of the LGBTQ+ community. Since its inception, there has been a sharp rise in proposals for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Partisan media outlets are the first domino to fall in the chain of misinformation and sensationalism. Previous studies have found that media bias affects the opinions and attitudes of its viewers and oftentimes leads them to either support or oppose legislation that is harshly sensationalized. In this study, we aim to prove that both right-leaning and left-leaning media outlets frame social policy legislation in a way that is congruent to the political beliefs of its viewers and leadership. We argue that the various framing devices used by each outlet have contributed to the negative priming of the Parental Rights in Education Bill and has led to a rise of disinformation among the public, namely, the creation of its most recognizable title, “Don’t Say Gay.” In this study, we aim to prove this bias through a deliberate content analysis of keywords and framing devices used by Fox News, CNN, and Newsweek. To assess these themes, we examine articles released under the moniker, “Don’t Say Gay” during the time of the bill’s inception on February 24, 2022, through its approval on April 4, 2022. Our results not only support our argument but also present an unexpected result of how partisan outlets respond to the spread of disinformation and corporate influence.

Comments from Mentors

Jazmine’s project is truly outstanding—she exemplifies what undergraduate research should be. She identified a real-world issue—the media coverage of the Parental Rights in Education Bill—and approached it through a political science lens, examining how outlets with different ideological perspectives framed the issue. Her brilliant thematic analysis of news stories highlights the power of media narratives and how the same event can be presented in strikingly different ways. Her work is thoughtful, rigorous, and deeply relevant. I am incredibly proud of her! 

— Rachael Houston