Gendered Expression of Politeness and Power on Social Media: A Sociolinguistics Analysis of Instagram Comments

Abstract

Language not only serves as a means of communication, but also a powerful device that expresses politeness and supports social distribution of power, especially between genders. This study aims to investigate how gender shapes the expression of politeness and power on Instagram, a platform where millions of people share their opinions freely and shape their online identities. Qualitative method was used to understand gendered communication patterns. One hundred comments (40 males and 60 female) posted under three public posts related to a celebrity, an influencer, and a politician were collected. The study Applied Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory and Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model. The study identifies how male and female users differ in their use of linguistic strategies such as directness, emotional expression, criticism, praise, and solidarity. The findings showed a clear difference between male and female styles of communication. The male commenters tend to rely on direct, assertive, and often confrontational language to express authority and power when commenting on moral, religious, or political issues, whereas female commenters tend to communicate politely, using emoji, supportive phrases, and show power more subtly through moral reasoning and supportive language. The study reveals that Instagram is not just a visual platform but also a meaningful space where gender influences how people speak and react.  The study also highlights how social media platforms are places where gender norms are redefined and questioned through common speech, emphasizing the highly gendered nature of online communication.