LGBTQIA+ Community Perceptions and Use of Social Media: Q & A
For LGBTQIA+ people, the Internet has facilitated the growth of community by giving access to people with similar life experiences. While separated physically, perhaps by an entire ocean, support can be given no matter the distance.
“Social media helps people connect with others who are experiencing common situations,”explained Jackie Cohen in this article, which details how online visibility gives hope to LGBTQIA+ people.
Below, I asked several LGBTQIA+ individuals about their involvement with social media, and if they think it benefits our community or not.
18-year-old Tumblr user @thisblogisanoutlet, who I stumbled upon via a reblog on my Tumblr dashboard, finds LGBTQIA+ involvement in social media to be necessary because of the times we live in.
Q: What’s your name & how do you identify?
A: I’m not gonna give my name because this blog (as opposed to my first, which was deleted) was started after an abuser found my ex-partner and I online. But I’m a gay nb [non-binary] trans guy.
Q: Why did you begin your involvement on social media? Were you always on Tumblr? Why Tumblr?
A: My freshman year in highschool my boyfriend at the time introduced me to BBC Sherlock, and I fell for the queerbaiting, having no idea what it was. I was desperate to see anything with gay guys in it, and fell down that rabbit hole onto this hellsite. From that alone you can probably guess what that blog looked like in the beginning. I learned what queerbaiting was, and from there got into queer discourse and then marxist discourse. I chose Tumblr initially for gay edits and because I wasn’t out as gay or trans at the time, I could be anonymous.
Q: Based on your reblog & commentary on topics like transmisogyny & the word “queer,” do you use Tumblr as a place of conversation and learning?
A: It’s mostly entertainment, but I find political discussion to be entertaining with the right people. Yes. I get to talk to people who have read and experienced vastly different things than myself that I would not get a chance to talk to otherwise.
Q: How important is it for the LGBTQIA+ community to have internet spaces?
A: Honestly, it’s not that it is inherently important, but rather that current circumstances demand it, you know? So long as we live under these structures, anonymous, online, open-access, free spaces are very important to those who are unable to reach out for other resources.
Q: How have you benefitted from them?
A: Having people my age, but with much more nuanced understanding of radical and queer theory/concepts, helped immensely by basically explaining things in relatable, digested, more simplistic ways that got me to investigate more. In an immediate way, it provided an online community of other lgbt people that I did not have in person. My high school did not have a GSA. The local resource center in the city had only one hour a week aimed at queer youth in the form of a program which was run by a chaser, and was shut down. It provided me with radical authors and articles to read that I otherwise would not know to look for or consider. It gave me language to articulate abstract thoughts/feelings that I was already having, and that goes for my queer identity as well as for politics of power dynamics and mental health.
On the other hand, some previously active LGBTQIA+ social media users are moving away from technology .
21-year-old M. B., a trans-masculine North Dakotan and a longtime social media user, has recently disengaged with the majority of his usual haunts after being active on Facebook for a number of years.
Q: When did you become active on social media? What drew you to join?
A: I first became active on social media when when I joined Facebook in seventh grade. It was becoming very popular with people in my class. I joined later than a lot of my peers; I was curious what it was all about, but mostly felt the need to make sure I wasn’t missing out on something socially important.
Q: What were you searching for, and what did you find?
Since my main motivation for joining was to make sure I wasn’t going to be out of the social loop, I was likely searching for some security in that insecure stage of early adolescence. I was wanting to connect with others and feel liked. I found that at the time it made me feel more secure that I was keeping up with everyone else in having a Facebook, but it also began to feed a lot of anxieties. I compared my account activity and number of friends to others, consistently feeling the need to improve my online presence, although I did not post often.
Q: Did you have access to community support growing up, in terms of support for LGBTQIA+ people?
There was absolutely no community support at my rural school, and I do not remember hearing of any in the nearest metro area. I did not personally know any openly LGBTQIA+ people, and was not conscious of my belonging to the community.
Q: Why did you choose to leave social media, except for Snapchat?
I came to the realization that the negatives of me having social media outweighed the positives. On one hand, it was nice to feel connected with a great number of people I cared about and to see what was going on in their lives. It was also important for me to feel connected to the LGBTQIA+ community and see positive representation. On the other hand, I felt pressure to maintain and regularly post on my accounts. It was hard to simply be present in the moment and enjoy events in my life, without imagining how I would document them. I was trying to put out a new image of myself after transitioning, and I was self-conscious and self-critical, so much of my posting was done with anxious feelings. I became uncomfortable with an ever-increasing number of people from my home area following me on social media, because I didn’t know how they viewed me, and I wasn’t wanting my life to be a hot topic for small town gossip. I was feeling more vulnerable than empowered. As much as I did not want to, I cared what people thought of me, and having a presence on social media did not come naturally to me. It took a lot of energy, becoming more of a weight and source of anxiety than an uplifting experience.
Q: What was your experience interacting with the trans community (and LGBTQIA+ community as a whole) via social media? My transition was aided heavily by my exploration through various social media including YouTube, Tumblr, and Facebook. Hearing other people’s experiences was so powerful to me, and helped me feel less alone. Did you have a similar experience? Do you feel like that experience happens a lot for the queer community?
Social media became a very important tool for me when I came out to myself as queer, and especially after I started seriously questioning my gender. Before I went to college, I did not know any other LGBTQIA+ people, so seeing them online helped me feel more secure in my newfound identity, and much less isolated. YouTube videos made by non-binary people and transgender men guided me tremendously through the questioning of my gender and decision to transition. I was able to visualize myself living a better life, and I had positive role models to look to and learn from. Most of the information I have gained has come from LGBTQIA+ folks posting online. On my own accounts, the positive affirmation I received as I transitioned served as a powerful aid to developing a new sense of confidence. I would guess that most people in the community have had a similar experience and appreciation for social media allowing them to access information, find inspiration, and feel a sense of validation and belonging.
Q: Are there any other comments you’d like to make about social media spaces for LGBTQIA+ people? Are there any improvements in terms of site design or restrictions that would make it easier for the LGBTQIA+ community to educate/support each other via social media?
Even though I am not an active participant in social media anymore, I still recognize and appreciate the tremendous value of social media for the LGBTQIA+ community. We are underrepresented in mainstream media, and creating our own media and having our own narratives is important. Social media allows the community to independently represent itself through each person, and create a network of support for all with access to the web, wherever they may be.
Tumblr user @humblechaserr took the time to explain his thoughts about Tumblr, and the importance of being a visible black trans man.
Q: What’s your name and how do you identify?
A: Chase, 27 and he/him
Q: Why did you begin your involvement on social media? Were you always on Tumblr? Why Tumblr? When did you first begin being visibly trans online?
A: I began it as an escape away from everything and people who didn’t accept me. I wasn’t always on Tumblr, but I found it to be the safest space for me and people are understanding. Yes my transition started online, and it hasn’t fully been something I am out about yet but I am working on it.
Q: Have you found online spaces to be more conducive to education/ conversation/ learning as opposed to “in real life”?
A: I don’t do online courses I need visual learning that is in my face someone talking to me.
Q: Speaking of conversation, have you seen the inclusive Pride flag that was recently unveiled, with the black stripe and brown stripe? How do you feel about that one?
A: I actually was not aware of the flag or have I seen it, but I would like to so I can give more of an opinion, where I live being gay or trans is not an acceptable thing and there isn’t a big community.
Q: Have you seen the Pride flag with the black power fist in the center? Which do you prefer and have conversations on Tumblr influenced your perspective?
A: I believe in my right to like what I want, but I don’t discriminate against those who like what they like, I think the black fist is a powerful thing for us, and should bring us closer as LGBTQIA family.
Q: What are your experiences interacting with the trans community via Tumblr, Instagram or any social media you use? My transition was aided heavily by my exploration through YouTube and Tumblr videos. Hearing other people’s experiences was powerful to me, and helped me feel less alone. Do you feel that happens quite a bit?
A: I haven’t found anyone to really help me through my transition but hopefully I will move soon and find more people like me, everyone I try to talk to just sorta disappears.
Q: Do you feel like social media space provides access to community support that isn’t afforded to trans people consistently (and the whole LGBTQIA+ community), or possible ever in their real lives outside of the Internet?
A: I do feel social media is very helpful, groups and different stories, its access to what isn’t there in the community you live in.
Q: How important is it for you to be visible when a lot of trans representation online is majority white (or maybe that’s just my perception)?
A: I want people to understand black trans exist! And we are here, because it’s a stigma in black families and a lot of trans don’t come out due to fear of not being accepted.
Q: What is your favorite social media site for interaction with the trans community? Which one is the most effective/beneficial for the LGBTQIA+ community?
A: Fave site is Tumblr. I believe Tumblr is the most effective and beneficial.
Q: Are there any other comments you’d like to make about social media spaces for LGBTQIA+ people? Are there any improvements that social media spaces could make to be more inclusive to POC?
A: I wish that our community would join together and stop excluding one person because of what they feel or look like.
The above LGBTQIA+ voices each feel differently about social media and its usefulness to the community. While social media is a great opportunity for this community, it should be remembered that we are not a monolith.
But, if you are one of those who enjoy and benefit from social media, here’s a list of LGBTQIA+ social media influencers, to add to your social media family.
Social media allows every person with a gadget to voice their opinion, and in turn, exposing each user to a range of ideas that may challenge their own. Representation means that not only does the LGBTQIA+ community receive positive affirmation, people outside that community can challenge their fears.
Tyler Oakley, 28-year-old YouTube personality and activist known for his content directed toward the gay community, said, “The internet has caused the perception of LGBT+ people to change. And now, when I talk to the younger generations, I know that the future will be just fine thanks to the openness and opportunities the internet promotes.”
