From "chastity as a gift" to "doing it as a sign of love": A longitudinal analysis of the discourses on female sexuality in popular magazines in Portugal

This study aims to analyze the media discourse about feminine sexuality produced by Portuguese magazines. Texts about female sexuality published in six types of magazines between 1965 and 2006 were content analyzed. The results showed that Portuguese media's discourse on sexuality is not only becoming more liberal but is also characterized by ambiguity and contradiction. Within a "progressive" discursive framework for sexuality, tensions and double standards for women are still noticeable. The media discourse in Portugal continues to reinforce the established gender hierarchy and inequality in heterosexual relationships and maintain traditional gender roles.