Humorous discourse strategies used in female stand-up shows and the construction of feminine subjectivity: The case of YouTube Turkey

This study examines how female comedians take a stance against the learned expectations of patriarchal culture in female stand-up shows broadcasted on YouTube Turkey and through which discourse strategies they reveal their feminine subjectivities. In line with this purpose, women's stand-up shows on YouTube in Turkey were analysed through critical discourse analysis, followed by semi-structured interviews with female comedians. As a result of the discourse analysis, it was determined that female comedians used the discourse strategies of mimesis, grotesque, irony, satire, parody/imitation, social inversion, self-deprecating humour, personal story sharing, strategic exaggeration, behaviour against social presuppositions, taboo, feminine language and analogy in their performances. The way they used these strategies revealed that female comedians used humour as a means of resistance against gender inequalities. It was determined that they question patriarchal structures by re-evaluating and criticising the expectations imposed by patriarchal culture in their stand-up performances. It has been observed that women comedians, who bring many issues that are assumed to belong to the private sphere to the stage through their personal stories, create a ground for social dialogue by making the feminine experience visible in the public sphere. Interview data revealed that women comedians face difficulties in the field of humour, such as the prejudice that "women are not funny" and sexual objectification. It was found that humour is perceived as a "coping mechanism" for women comedians; it is a strategic tool used in freedom of expression, social criticism and resistance, healing power, self-discovery and identity construction. It was determined that the space of freedom provided by digital platforms increases the potential of female comedians to create social change and feminist discourses. Within the scope of the study, the concepts of "sexist humour resistance", "symbolic positive discrimination" and "empathic humour bond" were introduced to the literature. The findings revealed that humour is an important tool in the struggle for social change and gender equality and that female comedians play an active role in this process.