LGBTQ Identify construction in online spaces

LGBTQ (GSD) OnlineSexual Minority Identity in the Online Space

Disclaimer:Built on Western Views of Sexuality

Predominately Gay/Bi-Male/ MsM Focussed

Sexuality throughout is treated as constructive not essentialist

Wednesday, 20 March 13

Self Identity and Modernity

• Self Identity is reflexive

• Pre Modernity identity was given

• Ego Centric World View Point

• Identity is the ability to maintain a narrative

1. Hermannsdóttir, M. B. Self-Identity in Modernity.Wednesday, 20 March 13

Shame and Guilt

Guilt is the fear is misbehaving

Shame is the anxiety about sufficiency of narrative


High-level Questions

“Who Am I?”

“How Should I live?”

“Where did I come from?”

“Where am I going?”


SIT (Social Identify Theory)

• Social Categorization

• Social Comparison

• Social Identity

• Self Esteem

1. Trepte, S. Social identity theory. Psychology of entertainment 255–271 (2006).Wednesday, 20 March 13

http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/psychology/social/Tajfel's_Theory_of_Social_Identity.jpgWednesday, 20 March 13

http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/psychology/social/Tajfel's_Theory_of_Social_Identity.jpg

http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/psychology/social/Tajfel's_Theory_of_Social_Identity.jpg

Cyber Studies

• Community

• Community Building

• Community Development

• Identity

• Development and Management of Identities


Cyber Queer

“The “cybersubject” appeared to be the ultimate manifestation of queer theory, as it

was seen to transcend the physical world in a parallel space, where it freely and flexibly

could pick and choose who to be.”

1. Tudor, M. Cyberqueer Techno-practices: Digital Space-Making and Networking among Swedish gay men. (2012).


“All the World, in feminist and Queery Theory, it would seem, is no longer a

stage, but a screen.”(Sue-Ellen Case 1995)


“Gay youth use the web like no other subset of the population. ... What exists

today was completely unheard-of even 10 years ago”(cited in Alexander, 2004)


Information

Audience Identity

1. Woodland, R. ‘I plan to be a 10’: Online literacy and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. Computers and Composition 16, 73–87 (1999).


News Groups

Message Boards

Chat Rooms

Web Sites / Social Networks

MUD / Lamda MOO

AOL Created First

Cyberspace

1. Woodland, R. ‘I plan to be a 10’: Online literacy and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. Computers and Composition 16, 73–87 (1999).


Youth Narrative

• Inclusive Space, Social Space, Health Information, Support Groups.

• Hyper personal Interactions (Walther, 1996)

• Not primarily going online for dates, sex, or pornography.

1. Paradis, E. Searching for Self and Society: LGBT Youth Online.Wednesday, 20 March 13

Representation Online

• Allows for an increased self narrative

• Hyper Masculine Constructions (Gaydar.com)

• Identities built on deception



Playing with Gender

• Stage case of the electronic lover

• 58% / 60% Gender Swap

• “It enables me to play around with aspects of my character that are not normally easy to experiment with.”

1. Hussain, Z. & Griffiths, M. D. Gender Swapping and Socializing in Cyberspace: An Exploratory Study. CyberPsychology & Behavior 11, 47–53 (2008).


Mind

BodySex

Gender

Offline Identity Construction


Body

SexGender

Mind

Online Identity Construction


Safety and Risk Online

• Identity Safety

• False Names

• Defensive nature of information

• Physical Safety

• Perceived meeting risk

• Physical Risk



Bridging the Online and Offline (People Near By Applications)

• Online interactions to an offline interaction

• High-gain High-risk interactions

• Social Embarrassment

• Emotional Harm

• Physical Risk


Research Question

Do near people applications allow for youths to interact offline, or is it

driving people further online.


Thank You


Education

LGBTQ Identify construction in online spaces