Heteronormativity and Gender Inequality in Three ESP Textbooks in Thailand: Multimodal Discourse Analysis

Akkasit Kathapant; Kriangkrai Vathanalaoha

doi:10.66947/pasaa.v74i1.872

Authors

Akkasit Kathapant Chiang Mai Unversity
Kriangkrai Vathanalaoha Thammasat University, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66947/pasaa.v74i1.872

Keywords:

ESP Textbook, Heteronormativity, Gender Inequality, Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Stereotypes

Abstract

Educational issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community in Thailand include discrimination, bullying, and many restrictions resulting from
heteronormativity, leading to gender inequality, gender stereotypes, and the dominance of heterosexuals. Therefore, this study investigated how heteronormativity and gender representations are constructed as common knowledge in English for specific purposes (ESP) textbooks used in Thailand. It used multimodal discourse analysis to examine the representation of heteronormativity and gender in ESP textbooks. The data were gathered from three Thai authors' ESP textbooks. Accordingly, the discursive and pictorial content of the textbooks was implicitly loaded with the authors' ideologies and worldviews. Multimodal discourse analysis was used to analyze the images from all three textbooks. The portrayal of gender and the construction of heterosexuality as the norm were analyzed. The analysis revealed reinforcement of gender stereotypes, as women were associated mainly with nurturing matters, and
men were leaders. Furthermore, the images of male and female couples upheld heteronormativity, defined as the assumption that heterosexuality is the natural and default norm, by normalizing them as typical couples. On the basis of these findings, gender equality should be promoted, and content which may perpetuate negative, discriminatory, or prejudiced stereotypes or views on gender should be removed.

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