II International Congress on Media, Gender and Sexualities: Representations, Literacies and Audiences
(Benasque Science Center, Jun 08 - Jun 12, 2025)

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Organizers:

Maria-Jose Masanet (University of Barcelona), Maite Soto-Sanfiel (National University of Singapore - Autonomous University of Barcelona)

We are thrilled to invite the global academic and educational community, media professionals, and other interested parties to participate in the II International Congress on Media, Gender, and Sexualities: Representations, Literacies, and Audiences, to be held at the Benasque Pedro Pascual Science Centre (CCBPP) from June 8 to 12, 2025.

Building on the success of the first edition two years ago, we are excited to establish this congress as a regular event. We were joined at the first edition by 80 participants from 25 countries from all around the world, who all helped to foster rich discussions, collaborative meetings, and meaningful connections. The outcomes included a collective book published by Peter Lang (in press) and a special issue of the International Journal Gazette (vol. 85, issue 5) featuring five inspiring contributions on Learning about Sexualities and Gender through Media beyond Formal Practices (https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/gazb/86/5). We are also currently coordinating the Handbook of LGBTQ+ Media for Routledge. You can learn more about the first edition of the congress here, including a wonderful photo gallery full of memories that will be cherished forever!

As you are well aware, the prominence of gender identities and sexualities in public discourse shows how these topics are more vital and urgent than ever. This congress is all about further exploring and debating the intricate relationships between sexualities, gender, media, and education—the three cornerstones of this field of study.

Organized around the key themes of Representations, Literacies, and Audiences, this congress serves not only as a platform to showcase the most innovative, daring, and thought-provoking work on the intersection between media, gender, and affective-sexual identities, but also as a space for impactful action. We are excited to welcome contributions from scholars, media professionals, regulators, NGOs, activists, and educators, all of whom will be sharing their practices and experiences in relation to these critical issues.

The ultimate goal of this gathering is to foster dynamic exchange between cutting-edge academic perspectives and real-world professional practices. By bridging the gap between these two realms, we hope to inspire new ideas and strategies that will contribute meaningfully and creatively to social progress.

Hence, the congress is calling for contributions that challenge pre-existing paradigms, approaches and theoretical conceptions on the topics such as, but by no means limited to, the following:

Topics

Good and bad media representation practices from a gender and sexuality perspective Screens, diversities and everyday life Gender biases in the uses, perceptions, and benefits of media Audiences, media representations, gender and sexualities Collaborative cultures, user-generated content, transmedia, gender and sexualities Risks and benefits of informal learning about sexualities and gender via the media Youth, informal peer learning, media and sexualities Digital intimacies: Experiencing sexualities through media Desire and media in the digital age Power and violence regarding gender and LGBTI+ in the digital age Decoloniality, anti-racism, and gender and queer/LGBTIQ+ media studies New media spaces to learn about sexualities and gender: social networks, dating apps, online communities, etc. New actors in media environments and sexualities: YouTubers, Instagrammers, Tiktokers, etc. Narrative mutations: new formats and genres, sexualities and learning From the informal to the formal, from media to the classroom: difficulties and possibilities

Queer pedagogies and media Intergenerational learning on sexualities and media University, gender and education Intersectionality and the media LGBTQ+phobia and the media Corporealities, fatphobia, aesthetic violence, and media Disability/functional diversity, neurodivergence, sexualities, and gender in the media Reduction of gender and sexual orientation prejudices through and with the media Effects of the media’s portrayal of LGBTQ+ on various audiences Methodological innovations in gender and queer/LGBTIQ+ media studies Historical perspectives of gender and queer/LGBTIQ+ media studies Cultural differences and/or comparative studies in the representation and consumption of LGBTQ+ content Adultocracy in the representation of youth gender and sexual identity New LGBTQ+ stereotypes in the media

Programme

The congress will take full advantage of the facilities at the Benasque Pedro Pascual Science Centre (CCBPP) to produce an event consisting of keynote speeches by scientists of renowned international repute together with communication sessions, creative workshops, formal and informal discussions and an engaging social programme with a strong emphasis on outdoor activities in a natural setting. From our experience of organizing other events at this center, we know how much its idyllic location in the Benasque Valley, on the slopes of the Aragonese Pyrenees, helps to forge fruitful collaborations and strong fraternal bonds. Of particular note is the fact that the host institution, the CCBPP, a key institution in the Spanish scientific system for the organization of high-level scientific meetings, has hosted 250 congresses to date, which have been attended by 15,000 scientists from 79 countries, including a large number of Nobel, Fields, Wolf, Dirac and Príncipe de Asturias laureates.

At the time of closing this call, we can confirm that the International Congress on Media, Gender and Sexualities: Representations, Literacies and Audiences will be welcoming the following keynote speakers:

Paul Julian Smith, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature, Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Cultures, Film and Media Cultures. CUNY Graduate Center.

Susan Stryker, Distinguished Visiting Adjunct Professor at Stanford University's Michelle Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Director of the TEN:TACLES Initiative (Transgender Educational Network: Theory in Action for Creativity, Liberation, Empowerment and Service).

Call for participation

The congress is open to two types of contributions:

1) Scientific communications that reflect theoretically on the topics of interest, present research methods or perspectives and/or results of empirical studies. These will be presented at dynamic sessions where the focus will be on the exchange and discussion of ideas;

2) Workshops or creative activities with an emphasis on practical approaches and aimed at generating new knowledge or challenging conceptions about the relationship between media, sexuality and gender.

Abstract submission should be done through HERE.

A complete guide to the submission of contributions and abstract template can be found here.

    * Abstracts files should be in .pdf format
    * You have to be registered before abstract submission
    * Abstract deadline: January 31st 2025

Grants

Doctorate students without contractual ties may opt for enrollment grants, once their proposal has been accepted. The grant exclusively covers the conference registration fee. Please note that any additional expenses, such as travel, accommodation, or meals, are not included and must be covered by the participant.

They can do this by sending their grant application to the congress secretariat ([email protected]) between dates 1-15 of march, stating both their own name and that of the accepted communication.

The subject of the message must be written as follows: grant_applicant’s surname.
For example: “grant_gonzalez.”

The organizers of the congress may request supporting documents as it deems necessary.

Publications

The most outstanding communications presented at the congress will be considered for inclusion in one special issue of an impact journal that is currently being prepared. All selected communications must subsequently pass a peer review process coordinated by the publisher. Participating authors may also be invited to contribute to the Handbook of LGBTQ+ and Media, published by Routledge and coordinated by the congress organizers.

Publications from First Edition of the Congress

As mentioned earlier, the 2023 edition of the International Congress on Media, Gender, and Sexualities generated several valuable outputs and publications. You are invited to explore them here:

• Special Issue in the Journal ‘International Communication Gazette’: Learning about Sexualities and Gender through Media: Transcending Formal Practices, Spaces, Actors, and Experiences.

This includes an introduction and five articles contributed by the congress participants:

• Masanet, Maria-Jose, & Soto-Sanfiel, María T. (2024). Learning about sexualities and gender through media: Transcending formal practices, spaces, actors, and experiences. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 357-362. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259829;
• Willem, Cilia, Tortajada, Iolanda, & Platero, Lucas (2024). 20,000 Species of Bees: Fictional film as a tool for queer pedagogies. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 363-378. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259828;
• Angulo-Brunet, Ariadna, Sánchez-Soriano, Juan-José, Vázquez-Tapia, Esmeralda A., & Vicente-Cruz, Emerson (2024). Video-on-demand series in education programmes to tackle gay male stereotypes in young people. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 379-398. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259838;
• Tirocchi, Simona, & Taddeo, Gabriella (2024). Unveiling informal learning of gender roles on Tik Tok: The #Stayathomegirlfriends phenomenon. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 399-419. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259836;
• Iñigo, Anna, Fernández, Laura, & Tomasena, José M. (2024). Disinterest, normalisation of gender violence and fear of being cancelled: Mediatised learning on antifeminist and anti-LGBTIQ+ discourses among teenagers in Barcelona. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 420-436. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259837;
• Bauwel, Sofie Van (2024). Affective learning: The role of affect in understanding representations of sexuality in postfeminist television series. International Communication Gazette, 86(5), 437-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241259835.
• Masanet, M.-J., & Soto-Sanfiel, M. T. (2023). International Congress on Media, Gender and Sexualities: Representations, Literacies and Audiences. Proceedings. Benasque Pedro Pascual Science Centre (CCBPP). Available at: https://benasque.org/2023media/proceedings.pdf
• Soto-Sanfiel, María T., Masanet, Maria-Jose, and Vázquez-Tapia, Esmeralda (Ed.) (Pending publication, 2025). Perspectivas globales sobre género y sexualidades en medios. Peter Lang.
• Blanco-Fernández, Vítor, and Fernández Aguilera, Laura (Ed.) (Pending publication, 2025). Special issue on ‘Panorama actual de los Estudios LGBTIQA+ en los medios en la academia Iberoamericana.’ Maricorners.

Transport

The congress will be providing a private coach that will leave Barcelona in the morning of June 8 and will take the attendees on the 307-kilometer journey to Benasque. On June 12, the bus will make its way back from Benasque to Barcelona. The trip is a wonderful chance for the attendees to get to know each other and start bonding. All attendees who wish to take the coach must register in advance by following the instructions sent by the center’s secretariat in the registration confirmation email. In other words, you must book a seat on the coach. Note that you can also do this by sending an email to [email protected].

In the case of attendees who plan to arrange their own travel to Benasque from elsewhere in Spain, transport costs will not be reimbursed. Attendees traveling from Barcelona can take a public bus to the town of Barbastro and a second bus from there to get to Benasque. If traveling from Zaragoza, another city with an international airport, you’ll need to take a public bus to Huesca and another from there to Benasque. The ‘venue’ tab in the menu of the CCBPP website (benasque.org) contains detailed information about these and other kinds of private transport.

Participants arriving on international flights should be aware that the transfer from Benasque to Barcelona usually takes between 3 to 4 hours. You are advised to allow for possible delays, which are unpredictable and beyond our control. To ensure you have plenty of time, you are advised to book a late return flight or one on the day after the conference.

Accommodation

Benasque offers a wide variety of accommodation to suit different preferences and budgets. Accommodation in hotels or apartments can be arranged through CCBPP staff upon request. To book, please follow the instructions in your registration confirmation email or contact [email protected]. In your message, please include the name of the conference that you are attending and the number of guests. Further details are available upon request here

Scientific Committee

• Sue Aran-Ramspott. Universitat Ramon Llull.
• Catherine Baker. Dublin City University.
• Núria Ferran. Universitat de Barcelona.
• Jack Halberstam. Columbia University.
• Debbie Ging. Dublin City University.
• Miriam Kap. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata.
• Débora Lanzeni. Monash University.
• Nohemí Lugo Rodríguez. Tecnológico de Monterrey.
• Júlio-César Mateus. Universidad de Lima.
• Lucas Platero. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
• Sara Pereira. University of Minho.
• Wajiha Raza Rizvi. Film Museum Society Pakistan.
• María Rodó-Zárate. Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
• Cosimo Marco Scarcelli. Università di Padova.
• Gabriella Taddeo. Università degli Studi di Torino.
• Filomena Teixeira. Escola Superior de Educação de Coimbra.
• Simona Tirocchi. Università di Torino.
• Iolanda Tortajada. Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
• Sofie Van Bauwel. Ghent University.
• Lucía-Gloria Vázquez-Rodríguez. Universität Leipzig.
• Cilia Willem. Universitat Rovira i Virgili.

Organising Committee

• Priscila Álvarez. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
• Ona Anglada. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Maria Aran González. Institut Municipal de Serveis Socials. Ajuntament de Barcelona.
• Ariadna Angulo-Brunet. Universidad Abierta de Cataluña.
• Eduard Ballesté Isern. Universidad Abierta de Cataluña.
• Jordi Baroja. Centro Joven de Atención a las Sexualidades. Barcelona.
• Emma Baudais. Centro Joven de Atención a las Sexualidades. Barcelona.
• Vítor Blanco-Fernández. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.
• Melania Domínguez Benítez. Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• Adrien Faure Carvallo. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Maddalena Fedele. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Laura Fernández. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Ana González Bringas. Cooperativa Sudergintza. País Vasco.
• Beatriz González de Garay. Universidad de Salamanca.
• María José Hinojosa Pareja. Colectivo Gamá. Islas Canarias.
• Adriana Ibiti. Investigadora independiente.
• Anna Iñigo. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Santiago Lomas Martínez. Universidad de Salamanca.
• Ana Martínez Marjalizo. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Maria-Jose Masanet. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Marta Meneu-Borja. Universidad de Valencia.
• Cleia Quiade Montesdeoca García. Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• Aida Navas Aparicio. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Jennifer Nievaara Molina. Colectivo Gamá. Islas Canarias.
• Noemi Parra Abaúnza. Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• Jessica Paños Castro. Universidad de Deusto.
• Zuriñe Rodríguez Lara. Cooperativa Sudergintza. País Vasco.
• Isabel Rodríguez de Dios. Universidad de Salamanca.
• Juan José Sánchez-Soriano. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
• Roger Soler i Martí. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.
• María Teresa Soto-Sanfiel. Universidad Nacional de Singapur - Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
• Esmeralda A. Vázquez-Tapia. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
• Mihaela Vancea. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Erlantz Velasco Luzuriaga. Universidad de Deusto.
• Rafael Ventura. Universidad de Lleida.
• Sergio Villanueva Baselga. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Isabel Villegas-Simón. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.
• Emerson Vicente. Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Júlio de Mesquita Filho'.

Congress Academic Secretariat

• Esmeralda A. Vázquez-Tapia. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Scientific Program Coordination

• Laura Fernández. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Vítor Blanco-Fernández. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.

Media and Communication

• Anna Iñigo. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Priscila Álvarez. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
• Marta Meneu-Borja. Universidad de Valencia.

Event Production

• Aida Navas Aparicio. Universidad de Barcelona.
• Isabel Villegas-Simón. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.

Contact

• Email: [email protected]

Funding

The congress is the result of cooperation between two funded projects: 1) Tales from Sex, Media and Youth: Experiences of Young People Learning about Sexualities through Media (SEXMEDIA; CNS2023-145333; Funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR) at the Universitat de Barcelona, and

2) Observatory for Sexualities, Youth, and Media: Identifying Needs and Providing Solutions for Youth and Education, Healthcare, and Media Professionals (KALEIDOSCOPE; PID2023-146858OB-I00; Funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, UE)  at the Universitat de Barcelona.

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Contact Information

• [email protected]
• (+34) 974551475
• Av. Francia 17
  Benasque - 22449, Huesca (Spain)