Title: Exploring Political Communication Strategies of Women’s Rights and LGBTQ+ Communities Over Time

Abstract: This study uses a mixed methods approach to explore the communication approaches of organizations advocating for greater political power, access, and representation for women and LGBTQ+ Americans over time. First, I identify a diverse sample of organizations and publications advocating for greater political inclusion for women and LGBTQ+ Americans over the past two centuries, with particular attention to those in the contemporary digital era. Next, various print and digital communications efforts are analyzed, applying a framework developed over a number of studies to compare the varied communication approaches of organizations advocating for marginalized communities. Finally, content analysis is used to evaluate newspapers, magazines, social media posts and websites from these organizations and publications. Through these approaches I explore the rhetorical strategies and goals of political messages communicated by these groups by centering their words, and find that while many notable changes have occurred, much is remarkably consistent over time.