Master thesis - Conversion therapy policy in Ciudad de México
Author
Bonasena, Mackenzie Morgan
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-05-31
Pages
69
Abstract
This thesis examines how conversion therapy is politically represented in CDMX (Mexico City) and how that representation may shape cultural attitudes toward LGBT+ people in Mexico. Conversion therapy refers to practices that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The study uses a constructivist approach, meaning it looks at how ideas and language shape reality and policy. It focuses on the reform of Article 206 of Mexico City’s penal code, approved on July 24, 2020, and applies critical discourse analysis to explore how the policy defines the problem. The analysis draws on Carol Bacchi’s WPR model (What’s the Problem Represented to be?), David Easton’s “black box” model of the political system (which emphasizes inputs and outputs without detailing internal processes), and De Jong and Kimm’s (2017) co-optation theory (how powerful actors can absorb or redirect movements and ideas). The thesis concludes that the reform reflects a struggle between an international push for LGBT+-friendly, often called neoliberal, policies and a conservative, religiously motivated pushback. Although the reform does not fully ban conversion therapy, it can be seen as a meaningful gain for LGBT+ rights and a step in the right direction.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan omvendelsesterapi bliver politisk fremstillet i CDMX (Mexico City), og hvordan denne fremstilling kan påvirke kulturelle holdninger til LGBT+-personer i Mexico. Omvendelsesterapi forstås som praksisser, der søger at ændre en persons seksuelle orientering eller kønsidentitet. Tilgangen er konstruktivistisk, hvilket vil sige, at analysen ser på, hvordan idéer og sprog former virkelighed og politik. Undersøgelsen fokuserer på reformen af artikel 206 i Mexico Citys straffelov, der blev vedtaget 24. juli 2020, og bruger kritisk diskursanalyse til at undersøge, hvordan politikken definerer problemet. Analysen trækker på Carol Bacchis WPR-model (What’s the Problem Represented to be?), David Eastons “black box”-model af det politiske system (der ser på input og output uden at beskrive processerne indeni), samt De Jong og Kimms (2017) koopteringsteori (hvordan magtfulde aktører kan optage eller omdirigere bevægelser og idéer). Specialet konkluderer, at reformen afspejler en kamp mellem et internationalt pres for LGBT+-venlige, ofte kaldet neoliberale, politikker og en konservativ, religiøst motiveret modstand. Selvom reformen ikke fuldt ud forbyder omvendelsesterapi, kan den betragtes som en vigtig fremgang for LGBT+-rettigheder og et skridt i den rigtige retning.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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