Critical Discourse Analysis on Ellen Page's Speech
1. Critical Discourse Analysis:
Ellen Page Full Speech on Time to Thrive
Ambar Nurul Ansari
Dwi Firli Ashari
Nurul Noviana
Widya Laksmawati
Yulia Sari Riyanti
2. Overview of the Video
• Title: Ellen Page Joins HRCF's Time to Thrive
Conference
• Speaker: Ellen Page
• Topic: LGBT
• Duration: 08:37
• Event: Time to Thrive Conference
• Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hlCEIUATz
g
3. Who is Ellen Page?
• Boyish, Actress, Buddhist, Lesbian
• Western homosexuals believe that
homosexual is accepted in Buddhist countries
(http://www.buddhanet.net/homosexu.htm)
4. Ideology and related issue
• Ideology behind this speech: Liberalism and
Gender Equality
• LGBT issues in United States of America
- Obama’s regulation
- Hillary Clinton (Foreign Ministry of USA)
in Genewa, 2011.
http://indonesian.jakarta.usembassy.gov/mobil
e//news/embnews_15052012.html
5. Facts about LGBT in US
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volok
h-conspiracy/wp/2014/07/15/what-
percentage-of-the-u-s-population-is-gay-
lesbian-or-bisexual/
• https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/1
1-facts-about-lgbtq-life-america
6. Background of the speech
• Arguments that homosexuals are emotionally
disturbed.
• In the West, many homosexuals suffer from
psychological problems, abuse alcohol, and
indulge in obsessive sexual behavior.
• As a group, homosexuals have a high rate of
suicide.
• It is very likely that homosexuals in the West
are wounded more by society's attitude.
(http://www.buddhanet.net/homosexu.htm)
7. Analysis of Eight Principles of CDA
• Addresses social problems
In the Ellen Page speech, the social problems to
be addressed is how LGBT are treated
differently and Ellen comes out with the spirit
that LGBT should be treated same as other
humans.
9. “It’s weird because here I am an actress
representing at least the substance an industry
that places crashing standard on all of us. And
not just young people, everyone. Standard of
beauty, of good life, of success, standard that I
hate to admit have affected me.”
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker believes that as an actress there is certain rules to be
followed exactly like what it is.
Relational value The speaker might be experienced the different standard of life.
Expressive value The speaker shows the expression how it feels as person who is
famous and lives in the certain rules that might be she does not
like.
10. “… Standard of beauty, of good life, of success,
standard that I hate to admit have affected me.”
11. “And I know that there are people in this room
who go to school every day and get treated like
shit for no reason. Or you go home and you feel
like you can’t tell your parents the whole truth
about yourself.”
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker believes that most of LGBTs experience that kind of
thing.
Relational value The speaker probably experienced it or heard from her mates
stories.
Expressive value The speaker cares about LGBTs and wants to make others aware
of the situations.
12. “…and get treated like shit for no
reason…”
• Rather than saying “treated badly”, “treated
differently”, etc.
13. “I try not to read gossip as the rule, but the
other day a website ran an article with the
picture of me wearing a sweat pants on the way
to the gym. And the writer asked “why does this
petty beauty insisted upon dressing like a
massive man?” Because I like to be comfortable”
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker believes that it is a stereotype and the speaker feels
nothing is wrong for a woman wearing a suit like a man.
Relational value There was a news as such probably because the media knew that
the speaker is a gay.
Expressive value The media wanted to push the speaker into the corner. They
wanted public to believe that the speaker is a gay.
14. • “….Their prove serve stereotypes about masculinity and
femininity on how supposed to act, dress and speak and they
serve no one. Anyone who device this so cold of norms
become worthy of comments and LGBT community knows this
all too well. Yet there is courage all around us. The football
hero, Michael Sam, the actress, Laverne Cox, the musician,
Sarah Queen, the family that supports the daughter or son
who is come out and there is courageous room, all of you,
and I’m inspired in this room because every single one of you
is here for the same reason. You are here because you have
adopted as a core motivation, the simple fact that this world
will be a whole lot better if we just make an effort to be last
horrible to one another. If we took just five minutes to
recognize each other’s beauty instead of talking each other
because our differences, that’s not hard. It’s really an easier
and better way to live and automatically, it saves life….”
15. The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker believes that this world will be a lot better if people
just stop disturbing each other and try to see others’ beauty
Relational value The speaker probably heard some news and stereotypes about
LGBT and people talked about this as something wrong.
Expressive value The speaker wants people to stop talking bad about LGBT and just
see something special and beautiful inside others.
16. Look at this sentence.
And I am here because I am gay.
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker says what the biggest secret that she has been
kept and she tries to convince other participants to be brave to
say their identities
Relational value The speaker says the statement to say that she has a relation to
other gays in the world that is represented by her coming to the
conference.
Expressive value The speaker wants to show to the world although she is gay and
she can stand up and make achievement
17. Look at this sentence.
And because maybe I can make a difference
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker shares her willingness to make a difference with
other gays that many people think gays cannot do anything like
“normal” people can do
Relational value The speaker wants to say that she is here maybe can create a
betterment for gay people through make a difference together
Expressive value The speaker wants to convince other people for making a
difference together
18. Look at this sentence.
I suffered for years because I was scared to be
out.
The Discursive Analysis
Experiential value The speaker believes that gay is not accepted in the society, so
she suffered for years to hide her identity
Relational value The speaker wants to express that she has same experience like
other participants have in the society and she wants to say that
each of them is not alone who gets same treatment from society
Expressive value The speaker wants to say to other participants that as gays do not
be scared to show the identity to the society
19. Look at this sentence.
• Some of you young people yourself and which case is
even weirder for a person like me to be speaking to.
The Discursive Analysis
Experien
tial value
The speaker admits that she is a “weird” person like the other participants.
Relation
al value
The speaker wants to show that she has same feeling like the audience that
judged by “normal” people as weird person.
Expressiv
e value
The speaker wants to say that there are more people like her that more
suitable to become the speaker for the campaign
20. Look at this sentence.
• Loving other people start with loving ourselves and
accepting our self, and I know many of you are
struggle with this.
The Discursive Analysis
Experie
ntial
value
The speaker wants to express that she has same feeling like other participants which
need to be accepted and loved by others
Relatio
nal
value
The speaker wants to say that she has same experience and also strugle in accepting
herself like other participants
Expressi
ve
value
The speaker wants to say to other participants that not only as a gay but also as human
being we have to accept and love ourself first before love other
21. • Mostly uses “we” or “you” to show solidarity
as LGBT community