VietTESOL International Convention 2026

ABSTRACT:
This study examined the representation of the transgender community in the U.S. online news headlines, using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Guided by Norman Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Model, the research analyzed both linguistic features and underlying ideologies on the transgender community in the U.S. in headlines from six major outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, The New York Times, and The New York Post. The dataset comprised of 100 headlines published between 2016 and 2025, a period characterized by increasing political polarization and heightened attention to transgender issues (Billard, 2016; Mocarski, 2019; Jones et al, 2018; Ciszek & Lim, 2024). Using Traditional Grammar analysis, the findings reveal dominant structural patterns such as simple sentence forms, expanded noun phrases, present tense, and active voice, which enhance brevity and immediacy (Harrower & Elman, 2019). Through Critical Discourse Analysis, the analysis shows that transgender individuals were represented in multiple ways, including as a “threat,” as victims, as subjects of political debate, and as normalized members of society. These representations reflected ideological divisions in U.S. media and contributed to shaping public perception (Fairclough, 1995; van Dijk, 1993; Wodak, 2001). Overall, the study highlights the influential role of headlines in constructing social reality and emphasizes the value of CDA in fostering critical awareness, particularly in English Language Teaching contexts (Cots, 2006).

Keywords: Critical discourse analysis, transgender community, news headlines, ideology, U.S. media.