Online Misogyny: A Study of Silencing Strategies Against Pakistani Women on “X”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62843/jssr.v6i3.733Keywords:
Digital Platforms, Critical Discourse Analysis, Silencing Framework, Online MisogynyAbstract
This study examines how misogynistic expressions function as silencing strategies in the digital public sphere. It focuses on replies to the posts of female public figures on Pakistani X. Using a qualitative discourse analysis approach, the study analyzes 355 replies collected from the profiles of four female public figures: Mahira Khan (film industry), Maria B. (business and fashion), Gharidah Farooqi (journalism and media), and Malala Yousafzai (activism), posted between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Drawing on Berškytė and Popa-Wyatt’s extended silencing framework and Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis, the study identifies three forms of silencing: locutionary, illocutionary, and sincerity silencing. The findings reveal that online misogyny is not merely abusive; rather, it functions as a silencing strategy that delegitimizes women's voices and reinforces restrictive gender norms.
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