Özet:

Social, political, economic, cultural and especially technological change and development brought with it a substantial change to the structure within which we perceive the notion of media. The so-called new media that not only changed the social dimension of communication but also the ways in which we hear, see, share and develop identities within new contexts of time and space, have soon caught the attention of gender studies. Gender and identities of individuals can easily find themselves in contradiction to traditional gender roles imposed by society, and such individuals can quickly find themselves as the “other” in a world where “us” dominates. Discourses on the other can spread very quick in today’s high-tech and high-speed communication environment, and opinions can rapidly hit masses of online users. This causes individuals with notions of gender and identity other than those approved by traditional social and cultural structures to become subject to broad attacks via powerful media channels. On the other hand, and equally strong in power, the same individuals can receive strong support from like-minded people.  Within this context, Rüzgâr Erkoçlar, a once famous actress, who recently expressed that she felt like a male and underwent several medical treatments in order to change her sex, has become subject to heatful debate on new media platforms. These debates, who often contained instances that can be defined as hate speech and acts of discrimination, displayed on the other hand a stance that was more “forgiving” because the transition took place from the socially less privileged female gender to the more privileged male gender, an attitude which can be labeled as another act of bigotry. These traits in the evaluation of Erkoçlar’s gender transition can be clearly followed in the discourse that built up around the debates on the internet. Based on these facts, and the aforementioned case, this study aims to analyse the ways in which gender roles are constructed during the use of new media, and how different social and cultural viewpoints tackle the issue.

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