The asexuality in the journalistic discourse: a discourse analysis

Abstract

The present article aimed to analyze how the journalistic discourse attributed meaning to asexuality, as well as the effects of meaning that erupted from the reportage “Assexuais: a quarta orientação sexual?”, which circulates on the website of the Spanish newspaper El País. We also sought to verify if the journalistic discourse contributed to consolidate meanings about the asexuality or if it broke patterns already established in our social formation. The research was developed by the bias of French Discourse Analysis founded by Michel Pêcheux, in the 1960, France, and developed by Eni Orlandi in Brazil, and other researchers who share with her the same theoretical scope. After the analyzes, we verified that, in the reporting, asexuality is signified as a sexual orientation whose individuals seek recognition. We also verified that there was the breaking of standards established in our society, not only in terms of meanings about asexuals, but also about gender itself. Therefore, we assert that the symbolic object chosen for analysis breaks with pre-built concepts about asexuality, since they put in check patterns and values already imposed on gender in our social formation, allowing the individual to accept, question or deny them.