g&l (print) issn 1747–6321 g&l (online) issn 1747–633x g&l vol 13.4 2019 423–448 ©2019, equinox publishing https://doi.org/10.1558/genl.38416 Article Gendered politics of enmity: language ideologies and social polarisation in Brazil Rodrigo Borba Abstract Tis paper analyses the role language and gender have played in the construc- tion of animosity among various constituencies during a political crisis in Brazil. To do so, it investigates a language ideological debate about the innova- tive use of the letter X as a gender morpheme – an inclusive alternative against Portuguese binary grammatical gender system. Te data include op-eds, blog posts, news articles and in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakehold- ers in the debate. Te analyses track the emergence of competing metadiscur- sive and metapragmatic regimes about grammar, gender and politics. On a macro-sociological level, this language ideological work helps shape politics of enmity which characterise the current state of democracy in Brazil and else- where. However, it also points to the emergence of situated counterdiscourses of solidarity which help individuals face an otherwise debilitating social context. keywords: language ideologies; brazilian portuguese; grammatical gender; political polarisation Introduction In August 2016, Dilma Roussef, Brazil’s frst female president, was deposed under allegations of misusing public money. Tere was no legal basis for the impeachment since the budget manoeuvres she made were common practice in previous governments. Her demotion has been interpreted as Afliation Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. email: rodrigoborba@letras.ufrj.br