Idealized cognitive model in the construction of the category "homosexual masculinity" in the Grindr relationship application.

Abstract

It is within the scope of the interface between Cognitive Linguistics (LC) and Gender Studies, especially queer theory, that the proposal of this work is part. We aimed to identify, analyze and discuss the Idealized Cognitive Model (ICM) of masculinity conveyed in verbal and nonverbal discourses and analyze user profiles of the Grindr relationship application, aimed at the gay and queer community. We hypothesized that the prototypical model of heterosexual masculinity is the most valued and sought by users. We also constructed a secondary hypothesis, which functions as an unfolding of the main one, that there would be two peripheral categories: the contestation of the stereotype of masculinity based on heteronorm and the deviable profiles, which would adopt gender subversion as a strategy for affirming plural masculinities. In order to test and discuss our hypotheses, we set up a database with 100 public profiles of Grindr users in the city of Vitória da Conquista-BA and, of these we selected 20 profiles to make up our corpus of analysis. Data collection and corpus constitution were based on a collection methodology proposed by Cultural Linguistics, based on the search for keywords related to the theme. In the comparative analysis and discussion of the data, we observed the verbal and visual characteristics from three axes: tags, emojis and open personal description.  The theoretical affiliation, which founded our work, as well as served as a support for our analyses, is divided into two fronts: the first includes cognitive linguistics theorists who discuss the phenomenon of categorization, especially Lakoff's considerations about ICM's.  The second front concerns the establishment of a dialogue between CL and Queer Theory, in which we focus on different concepts established by Butler in his works, especially the concept of gender performivity. The results show that it is possible to identify two categories: the prototypical center, which, as formulated in our hypothesis, is guided by the heteronormative model: masculinity is associated with virility, the sexual performance of the asset and, in addition, rejects the effeminate. As for peripheral categories, it was possible to find only more recurrent data that challenge the stereotyped model of masculinity based on the heteronorm. Nevertheless, users demonstrate tolerance and condescension with secrecy, a pervasive category in both categories.