Comparative study on the discourse regarding the bodies of pregnant women on social media platforms in China and Spain
Keywords:
body, feminism, motherhood, pregnancy, childbirthAbstract
In recent years, narratives about motherhood and the representation of the bodies of pregnant women have received increasing attention. This study focuses on a comparative analysis between China and Spain, adopting as a theoretical framework the feminist ideas about the body by Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, and Iris Marion Young, among others, as well as the body theories of Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, among others. Through a narrative-discursive research approach, selected texts published on digital platforms (Instagram, YouTube, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili) over the last three years are examined with the aim of analyzing the shared experiences of pregnant women and new mothers. The study addresses three key aspects: 1. Discourse on physical pain in pregnant and postpartum women; 2. Subjectivity and objectification of the body during pregnancy and childbirth; 3. Obstetric violence: the body that stirs emotions, empowerment, and disempowerment. The results show that, although in both China and Spain the predominant narratives highlight the happiness and personal fulfillment associated with motherhood, they also reflect the pains and discomforts experienced during the process of pregnancy and childbirth. However, there are significant differences in the visibility of criticisms and complaints related to obstetric violence. The analysis reveals tensions between patriarchal social norms and the demands for bodily autonomy of pregnant women, as well as cultural differences in the objectification of the body and emotional expression during pregnancy and childbirth. In the discussion, the influences of the historical contexts of Spain and China on the construction of the ideology of motherhood are analyzed, which allows us to understand how these narratives are influenced by specific historical, cultural, and social factors.
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References
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