Not Just a Joke: Normalization of Digital Violence Against Women Behind The Veil of Humor on Social Media

Songül Tan

Article Details

Not Just a Joke: Normalization of Digital Violence Against Women Behind The Veil of Humor on Social Media

Authors:

Songül Tan

Publisher:

Ahmet Arif EREN

Main Topics:

Cinsiyet | Politika ve Yönetim | Cinsiyet Sosyolojisi | Kadın Araştırmaları

Journal:

Fiscaoeconomia Vol.9 Issue Toplumsal Cinsiyet Özel Sayısı, pp.441-457

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001331801

pISSN:

2564-7504

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This study examines how digital violence against women is normalized in humorous content about marriage and male-female relationships on Instagram. The research reveals that humor on social media is not just a joke but an ideological tool that reproduces gender inequalities. The study analyzed 30 videos and 450 user comments from three Instagram accounts with over 100,000 followers using Critical Discourse Analysis CDA. The findings revealed five main themes: normalization of physical violence through humor, systematic reproduction of stereotypes against women, masculinity crisis discourses, distorted representation of the institution of marriage, and legitimization of digital violence through just kidding rhetoric. Analysis results show that 70 of the videos contained physical violence content, and 67 of user comments supported violence. Women are systematically presented with stereotypes as controlling, emotionally inconsistent, and materially motivated. The research identified four fundamental mechanisms through which humor legitimizes violence: making problems invisible, naturalizing stereotypes, normalizing violence culture, and marginalizing critical voices. The study emphasizes the urgency of feminist struggle on digital platforms and highlights the importance of critical media literacy and counter-narrative development work. The findings demonstrate that the phrase just kidding is no longer an innocent defense, arguing that humor serves as one of the multi-layered legitimization mechanisms of digital violence against women. This underscores the need for new studies on cultural representations and humorous codes in the digital age.

 This study examines how digital violence against women is normalized in humorous content about marriage and male-female relationships on Instagram. The research reveals that humor on social media is not just a joke but an ideological tool that reproduces gender inequalities. The study analyzed 30 videos and 450 user comments from three Instagram accounts with over 100,000 followers using Critical Discourse Analysis CDA. The findings revealed five main themes: normalization of physical violence through humor, systematic reproduction of stereotypes against women, masculinity crisis discourses, distorted representation of the institution of marriage, and legitimization of digital violence through just kidding rhetoric. Analysis results show that 70 of the videos contained physical violence content, and 67 of user comments supported violence. Women are systematically presented with stereotypes as controlling, emotionally inconsistent, and materially motivated. The research identified four fundamental mechanisms through which humor legitimizes violence: making problems invisible, naturalizing stereotypes, normalizing violence culture, and marginalizing critical voices. The study emphasizes the urgency of feminist struggle on digital platforms and highlights the importance of critical media literacy and counter-narrative development work. The findings demonstrate that the phrase just kidding is no longer an innocent defense, arguing that humor serves as one of the multi-layered legitimization mechanisms of digital violence against women. This underscores the need for new studies on cultural representations and humorous codes in the digital age.

 This study examines how digital violence against women is normalized in humorous content about marriage and male-female relationships on Instagram. The research reveals that humor on social media is not just a joke but an ideological tool that reproduces gender inequalities. The study analyzed 30 videos and 450 user comments from three Instagram accounts with over 100,000 followers using Critical Discourse Analysis CDA. The findings revealed five main themes: normalization of physical violence through humor, systematic reproduction of stereotypes against women, masculinity crisis discourses, distorted representation of the institution of marriage, and legitimization of digital violence through just kidding rhetoric. Analysis results show that 70 of the videos contained physical violence content, and 67 of user comments supported violence. Women are systematically presented with stereotypes as controlling, emotionally inconsistent, and materially motivated. The research identified four fundamental mechanisms through which humor legitimizes violence: making problems invisible, naturalizing stereotypes, normalizing violence culture, and marginalizing critical voices. The study emphasizes the urgency of feminist struggle on digital platforms and highlights the importance of critical media literacy and counter-narrative development work. The findings demonstrate that the phrase just kidding is no longer an innocent defense, arguing that humor serves as one of the multi-layered legitimization mechanisms of digital violence against women. This underscores the need for new studies on cultural representations and humorous codes in the digital age.

 Bu çalışma, Instagramda evlilik ve kadın-erkek ilişkileri temalı mizahi içeriklerde kadına yönelik dijital şiddetin nasıl normalleştirildiğini incelemektedir. Araştırma, sosyal medyada mizahın sadece şaka değil, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliklerini yeniden üreten ideolojik bir araç olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışmada, 100 bin üzeri takipçiye sahip üç Instagram hesabından 30 video ve 450 kullanıcı yorumu Eleştirel Söylem Analizi ESA yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Bulgular beş ana tema ortaya çıkarmıştır: fiziksel şiddetin mizah yoluyla normalleştirilmesi, kadına yönelik kalıp yargıların sistematik yeniden üretimi, erkeklik krizi söylemleri, evlilik kurumunun çarpıtılmış temsili ve sadece şaka söylemiyle dijital şiddetin meşrulaştırılması. Analiz sonuçları, videolarda 70 oranında fiziksel şiddet içeriği bulunduğunu ve kullanıcı yorumlarının 67sinin şiddeti desteklediğini göstermektedir. Kadınlar sistematik olarak kontrolcü, duygusal tutarsız ve maddi çıkar odaklı kalıplarla sunulmaktadır. Araştırma, mizahın dört temel mekanizmayla şiddeti meşrulaştırdığını tespit etmiştir: sorunu görünmez kılma, kalıp yargıları doğallaştırma, şiddet kültürünü normalleştirme ve eleştirel sesleri marjinalleştirme. Çalışma, dijital platformlarda feminist mücadelenin aciliyetini vurgulayarak, eleştirel medya okuryazarlığı ve karşı anlatı geliştirme çalışmalarının önemini ortaya koymaktadır.

Article Details

Not Just a Joke: Normalization of Digital Violence Against Women Behind The Veil of Humor on Social Media

Authors:

Songül Tan

Publisher:

Ahmet Arif EREN

Main Topics:

Cinsiyet | Politika ve Yönetim | Cinsiyet Sosyolojisi | Kadın Araştırmaları

Journal:

Fiscaoeconomia Vol.9 Issue Toplumsal Cinsiyet Özel Sayısı, pp.441-457

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001331801

pISSN:

2564-7504

Sosyal Medya

Mizah

Dijital ŞiddetSosyal Medya

Mizah

Dijital Şiddet

Issues

Article Details

Not Just a Joke: Normalization of Digital Violence Against Women Behind The Veil of Humor on Social Media

Authors: Songül Tan

Publisher: Ahmet Arif EREN

Main Topics: Cinsiyet | Politika ve Yönetim | Cinsiyet Sosyolojisi | Kadın Araştırmaları

Journal: Fiscaoeconomia Vol.9 Issue Toplumsal Cinsiyet Özel Sayısı, pp.441-457

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001331801

pISSN: 2564-7504

Sosyal Medya

Mizah

Dijital ŞiddetSosyal Medya

Mizah

Dijital Şiddet

Issues

Authors:

Songül Tan

Publisher:

Ahmet Arif EREN

Main Topics:

Cinsiyet | Politika ve Yönetim | Cinsiyet Sosyolojisi | Kadın Araştırmaları

Journal:

Fiscaoeconomia Vol.9 Issue Toplumsal Cinsiyet Özel Sayısı, pp.441-457

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001331801

pISSN:

2564-7504