Co-viewing a lesbian kiss between two elderly characters: Unveiling axes of oppression through the Brazilian telenovela Babilônia

Abstract

This article looks at how digital spaces not initially designed for co-viewing become places for resisting the dominant heteronormative discourses of female sexuality spread by different sectors of Brazilian society and which are reinforced in television and social media. The article is part of a study on co-practices in connected platforms related to Brazilian prime-time viewing. We used a qualitative and multi-method approach with data from participant observation, interviews, and a questionnaire with users who co-viewed the Brazilian telenovela Babilônia in two unofficial Facebook groups. A kiss between two elderly female characters of the telenovela Babilônia caught the attention of religious and conservative politicians, who organized a boycott in accordance with patriarchal values. Therefore, co-viewers discussed the representation of female sexuality and reflected on its intersection with the characters' age, gender and sexuality, as well as the country’s current political situation and its interweaving with religion. The co-viewing practices were examined with a feminist critical discourse analysis, focusing on the practices that emerged inductively during co-viewing in relation to elderly female lesbianism. The findings indicate that, through connected co-viewing, users create alternative public spheres that can challenge the social order in which sexuality is constructed based on heterodeterministic media representations of gender.