Queerbaiting, leituras queer e ausência de representatividade sáfica: recepções, interpretações e apropriações de fãs

Abstract

Through a network of connections and relationships, in which the creators and financiers of media products seek to reach the largest number of consumers as possible, the desires of the Queer community end up being ignored and subtextualized within the media, being offered only as a provocation. . To name the practice of attracting the attention of LGBTQIAP+ individuals, especially groups that fit into the sexuality spectrum of the acronym (LGB+), through non-explicit homoromantic and homoaffective content, the term Queerbaiting is coined by members of fan groups, users of social networks and also by academics of the field. In this sense, from a universe full of evasive and slippery contexts, which allow Queer readings to be put aside and/or ridiculed, this dissertation intends to investigate the feelings, reactions, receptions and relationships of sapphic women (those who have sexual and/or romantic relationships with others of the same gender), consumers of serial narratives, in relation to the phenomenon of Queerbaiting. Thinking about the logic of this marketing strategy, we developed the following research problem: How does the phenomenon of Queerbaiting affect fandom practices in communities of sapphic fans of serial narratives? Within this context our objective is to investigate relationships and practices of sapphic women, who support couples between women, looking at how they mobilize, organize, reflect and act within the digital environment, based on our phenomenon. To achieve this goal, we used, in addition to a bibliographical review – with regard to the themes and subthemes of the study –, participant observation on digital platforms, followed by an autoethnographic diary (MANNING; ADAMS, 2015; BOYLORN, 2018). Furthermore, we carried out group interviews and analyzed these materials using our own categorization methodology, explained during the dissertation. With the entire theoretical-methodological process carried out, we were able to determine that this is material with a qualitative study, on a very specific spectatorship, but which carries with it the possibility of looking at how a given community is portrayed in this contemporary world. Queerbaiting is indeed a malicious marketing strategy, however, at the same time, most other media choices end up being as negative for LGBTQIAPN+ people as Queerbaiting – or even more so. It is worth pointing out that studies on positive representations cases can be a way to understand the fans' outcry, as well as looking at these works, understanding the constituent elements that make them a good representation, expanding our discussion, with other contributions on the subject.