The Use of Verbal Violence Metaphors Toward Indonesian Female Politicians on X Social Media

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the use of verbal violence metaphors on X social media (formerly Twitter) toward three Indonesian female politicians. As a social media that provides an accesible medium of expression, X is often used to perpetrate verbal violence using metaphorical devices. The data were collected from online comments on the X accounts @detikcom, @kompascom, and @KompasTV. The results showed that the verbal violence metaphor was used to insult or demean female politicians. The verbal violence metaphor toward female politicians consisted of metaphors for the domains of animals, metaphysical creatures, and physical objects. These metaphors were intended to deny human uniqueness and human nature as a form of X users' anger and disgust toward female politicians. The metaphor of verbal violence against female politicians was intentional because female politicians are considered to be violating existing cultural boundaries or norms, as Indonesian culture is still steeped in patriarchal ideas.

Keywords: Metaphor, verbal violence, female politicians, political discourse, X.

Highlights:

1.      The metaphors of verbal violence toward female politicians can be categorized into three main categories: metaphors of verbal violence in the domain of animals, physical objects, and metaphysical creatures.

2.      The metaphor of verbal violence committed toward female politicians shows that X users have insulted and degraded female politicians in the form of animalizing or going beyond animalizing female politicians.

3.      The metaphor of verbal violence toward female politicians is used to show X users' anger and disgust toward female politicians.

4.      In Indonesian culture which more often uses indirect expressions in communication, the use of metaphors to delegitimize female politicians is often used to construct and reproduce ideology and propaganda.

5.      The metaphor of verbal violence against female politicians was intentional because female politicians are considered to be violating existing cultural boundaries or norms, as Indonesian culture is still steeped in patriarchal culture