Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/289968 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
IDB Working Paper Series No. IDB-WP-1433
Publisher: 
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Washington, DC
Abstract: 
How does exposure to soap operas with LGBTIQ+ characters affect attitudes toward the LGBTIQ+ community? To answer this question, we construct a novel database of 175 telenovelas (soap operas) with LGBTIQ+ characters airing in 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2002 and 2019. Exploiting variation in the introduction of new soap operas with LGBTIQ+ characters within country and surveywaves, we find that individuals exposed to more soap operas with LGBTIQ+ characters are less tolerant toward the LGBTIQ+ community. This short-term backlash is driven by exposure to telenovelas with homosexual characters and shows with comedic storylines. The effect is stronger among traditionally more conservative individuals (e.g., older or frequently attending religious services).
Subjects: 
Discrimination
Attitudes
LGBTIQ+
Media
Latin America
Caribbean
JEL: 
J15
J71
N16
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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