“Fight Like a GIRL”: The Discursive Construction of Transphobia in the British and French Press Through the Representation of Imane Khelif
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper examines the discursive representation of Imane Khelif—a female boxer subjected to transphobic discourse based on her perceived masculinity—across British and French news media. Taking a queer theoretical approach informed by the methodological principles of Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis, we focus on stories that relate to Khelif's contentious participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and its subsequent fallout. We find that, while stories in both British and French news media promote a narrative of unfairness in regard to Khelif's inclusion, the discriminatory discourse in the British press was often racially motivated, with frequent engagement of white feminist ideologies. In general, the British press was found to sensationalize Khelif and her body, aligning with tabloid journalistic practices prevalent in the UK. Conversely, French journalistic practice was generally more neutral in its reporting, frequently backgrounding the hate campaign as misinformed prejudice.
Source: Gender and Language
DOI: 10.3138/gl-2025-0093
Authors: Madeline Pritchard, Christian Ilbury
Institution: University of Edinburgh
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204911486