Telenovelas and attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Latin America

Selim Gulesci, Maria Lombardi and Alejandra Ramos

Labour Economics, 2024, vol. 87, issue C

Abstract: How does exposure to soap operas with LGBTQ+ characters affect attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community? To answer this question, we construct a novel database of 175 Telenovelas (soap operas) with LGBTQ+ characters airing in 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2002 and 2019. Exploiting variation in the introduction of new soap operas with LGBTQ+ characters within country and survey-waves, we find that individuals exposed to more soap operas with LGBTQ+ characters are less tolerant toward the LGBTQ+ community. This short-term backlash is driven by shows with comedic storylines. The effect is stronger among traditionally more conservative individuals (e.g. older or frequently attending religious services).

Keywords: Discrimination; Attitudes; LGBTQ+; Media; Latin America; Caribbean (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J15 J71 N16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: Telenovelas and Attitudes toward the LGBTIQ Community in Latin America (2023)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:87:y:2024:i:c:s092753712300163x

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2023.102488

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