Discourse, gender, and agenda setting struggles in contemporary social movements

With a view to furthering understanding of gendered dynamics in the context of contemporary social movements, this article takes a critical look at the negotiation of meaning in public debates held by bicycle advocates in Rio de Janeiro, drawing on (auto)ethnographic observations and audio recordings. The gendered performances which arise from small stories suggest that female participants find themselves in a ‘double bind’ as they seek to raise awareness of the gendered violence they experience whilst simultaneously adhering to the discursive norms of the movement. Such performances may be understood as characteristic of a postfeminist sensibility in which everyday violence is mitigated in order to project a courageous, resilient subject undeterred by such threats.

Keywords:
Social Movements; Narrative Analysis; Gendered Performances; Violence; Post feminism