Understanding attitudes toward Spain's Trans Law: A content analysis

In: Analyses of social issues and public policy

Abstract

AbstractThe Spanish Trans Law has sparked great public debate, generating opposing and confrontational discourses on Twitter. As the debate can be influenced by contextual and individual factors, this study aimed to analyze the tweets posted on the day the preliminary draft of the law was presented and the day it was approved, exploring the prevailing attitudes toward the Trans Law in Spain, both supportive and opposing. Through deductive content analysis of 531 tweets, it was observed that the content tended to vary on both days, although the main differences were found between the pro and anti‐law stances. While supportive messages tended to advocate for rights and highlight transphobia, tweets opposing the Trans Law tended to claim that its approval could cause harm to others, especially cisgender women and children. Moreover, we examined the use of feminism, gender essentialism beliefs, and gender self‐determination measures as arguments to support each stance. The findings reflect the importance of contextual and attitudinal dynamics in the narratives posted on Twitter (now rebranded as X) regarding transgender rights. This qualitative research contributes to understanding attitudes toward transgender individuals as expressed on social media, integrating insights from Social Psychology within the current Spanish context.Public significance statementWhen analyzing the content of the tweets commenting on the Spanish Trans Law, two different positions are identified. One supports the law, advocating for rights and taking a stand against transphobia. The other opposes the law, considering it a threat to cisgender women and children. By exploring the reasoning behind the two positions, this study helps to understand attitudes toward trans people online and emphasizes the need to combat misinformation.