It’s Just a Joke: Challenging Sexism through Counter-narrative Memes

Abstract

Memes are a current visual cultural form that communicates ideas, emotions, and beliefs, usually by repurposing images from popular culture. In this study, we examined how bicycling memes depict women in stereotypical ways, further reinforcing ideas that are already prevalent in society. Specifically, we study memes about the culture of road cycling and racing, rather than commuter cycling. Applying critical visual methodology to analyze cycling memes that depict women on Instagram during a six-month time period (November 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021), our analysis examined how these memes buttress the social norms towards women in the cycling and broader community. From our research, we conclude this article with suggestions on how to counteract the negative narratives presented in memes within the classroom using examples from our data set.