This research will be guided by both queer theory and media theory, such as reception theory. The media can play a positive role in informing people, in Ireland the media played a significant role in recent times in representing non-normative identities. When analysing media content it is important to be objective and examine all points of view, this is necessary “in order to tease out the social contradictions and contestations embedded” (Saukko, P., 2003, 104). Another point made in the book Doing Cultural Studies research is that you have to bear in mind the social context of the media text you are interpreting looking at the historical and political context in which the media text occurs, with an “observation of contradictory agendas” (Saukko, P., 2003, 113). This research aims to look at the recent social changes in Irish society in relation to the media content on minority LGBTQ identities. As this research is focused on the portrayal of sexual fluidity and gender fluidity, an understanding of queer theory will be essential. As this research is looking at both ‘sexuality’ and ‘gender’ and the idea of ‘fluidity’ it is necessary to define all of these terms.
Queer theory has defined the differences between sex, gender and desire (Seidman,
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Fairclough states that media discourse analysis is “an attempt to show systematic links between texts, discourse practises, and sociocultural practises” (Fairclough, 1998, p.16-17). For this purpose a qualitative rather than a quantitative research method of investigation was chosen in order to answer the proposed research question; what factors of Irish culture have influenced gender and sexual fluidity media representation in the past year, from 2015 until the