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Domonique Villalobos

Jennifer Rodrick

Queer Studies 115

September 23, 2017

Queer Identity

The media of todays time is very influential to our society. The media focuses on all parts

of our society such as politics, entertainment, and other mediums. It can create many positives and

negatives. Especially on the terms of the queer community and queer identity. Medias power as a

platform has encouraged and created awareness of the acceptance of the queer identity.

When it comes to the subject of identity, where does it come from? How is shaped and

formed? I believe that it comes from multiple places, such as your background, where you grew up,

religious beliefs and so on. Its basically the environment around you that does this for you. Which

then leads how you want to be perceived. On the internet, in person and even on paper. But, there

are factors for why we become who we are or how we are perceived. Social media is a prime factor

in this case. In regards to the queer community, the internet has become a massive medium to look

towards to. The queer community is a strong loving and caring group of people who want to

influence and make their purpose clear to everyone and live like everyone as well.

Everyone deserves the rights to live happily being who they are. All around the world

people live in a constant battle for their rights to express be heard in conjunction with their
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sexuality. In reading an article from the Huffington Post called The Positive Side Effects by the

European Magazine, it is clear that the acceptance of queer community is becoming a forward

revolution in Europe. For example, Robert Biedrons quote, Increasing LGBT rights means

decreasing intolerance, xenophobia and other discriminating behavior. By increasing the rights of

the queer community, there is essentially less hate. Furthermore, Homophobia still exists. Its

constantly challenging the queer community and has manifested its ways in politics. According to

the article, freedom of expression is currently directly and grossly threatened by the bans on so-

called homosexual propaganda enacted or proposed by several Council of Europe member states.

This example expresses its significance through the system of politics. Having your government be

on your back for being who you are is definitely an outright problem. Freedom of expression is then

very limited and hard to work around. Especially when it shouldnt even be that difficult to do

something you have the right to do. But, the queer community has managed to move past this, they

managed to have the first transgender person and gay man become politicians, held pride marches,

and allowed same-sex consensual relations in Cyprus. Europe is moving forward for the sake of the

queer community, becoming an influence to many neighboring countries.

Social media has the ability to infiltrate and shape our identity, by many factors. Shedding

light on this subject, is Associate professor Ulrike Schultze, in her video, How Social Media

Shapes Identity provided by TEDxSMU on YouTube. Schultze discusses scenarios in order to get

to her question of, How technology and media take over our lives. Entanglement with technology

has become relevant in our society. Technology is something we constantly rely on. Its come to

the point where when we discuss our identity, its usually incorporated with some influence from

technology. From her research, Schultze states that Three dominant discourses are embedded or

materialized in technology. Discoursers create ideas and are part of logic. People then construct

identity based on these discourses. Although this video doesnt touch the subject of queer identity. It
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explains how we as people can manipulate and change our identity. In essence, obtaining an identity

is a process we all go through regardless of our sexuality. The media has a big responsibility when

it comes to your identity. You can choose whether you want the media to actually change your

thinking or just simply influence. The internet is the main source for this influence. It opens many

doors in which you can step in.

Media use has become a key influence when it comes to doing anything for a cause or for a

purpose .In reading the article The Live Act of Coming Out- Queer Identity, Social Media, and

Conversation Analysis by Matthew Barbee, it is clear that finding acceptance is a trending matter.

Not only that, but expressing your identity is becoming more prominent too. In order to accomplish

this, strategies have to be made and thought over. In making such a choice, LGBT individuals

consider the positive and negative repercussions of revealing their sexuality social media has

become a platform that people use in order to come out. They can either just post it on their profile

or even in their bio or even make a video about it. YouTube, for example has been known for their

coming out videos. Since that time, it encouraged

many more people to come out as well. Its heavy

influence even made celebrities come out as well.

The internet is a tool that the queer community

uses and it really helps them. Its a creative outlet

that provides them with choices to make their voices heard.

Which then creates an abundance of people joining a cause

to really get the word out there. Social media has its ways

to get people rounded together for the sake of a better

future.
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Among the many types of social media, Facebook, has stood out from the surplus of other

types of platforms. According to Elizabeth Mcconnells study, which primarily focused on social

media, in this case, Facebook, has become such a communicative platform to express ones self

identity. Facebook has options on how you want to be identified, and your profile can be entirely

public or private. Using Facebook is the top social media platform to use. It has over 1 billion users

worldwide. Imagine how many groups of people and resources there are being supportive and

empowering. Social media is very powerful. Its power is also dangerous. Furthermore, Mcconnell

and her colleagues go on to compile sources for the correlations between online networking and

mental health. Because of the constant victimization and cyberbullying, mental health becomes an

issue. From LGBTQ youth to adults, they are faced with these challenges. Cyberbullying has a

strong influence over many and that leads to distress. Much of this cyberbullying hurts the

foundations that people have built themselves up. Its an epidemic, people shouldnt be afraid to be

who they are, especially on the internet. It reaches the core of people and that leads to self-harm,

isolation and suicide. Cyberbullying is a problem for much of the online queer community.

Fortunately, the existence of support groups play into effect. They werent that useful until there

was a need. But because of this grossing problem, we have become aware of the damage it causes.

We have support groups, therapy, cyber police, organizations, and etc. through the use of social

platforms. Its constantly reminded upon media users on the internet, commercials, ads, and even in

schools. Social media has become such a resourceful outlet to the queer community.

Media forms have acted as core reasons for the progression of the representation of the

queer community in regards of the queer identity. Through social media platforms and the use of

communities its become a highly effective way of bringing people together. Yet there are still areas
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of the spectrum that need to be dealt with and moved past. Its a time in our society were the

processes of today will have a positive effect for the queer community in the near future.

Works Cited

Barbee, Mathew, The Live Act of Coming Out Queer, Identity, Social Media and Conversation

Analysis Kwansei Gakin University, Social Sciences Review, Vol 20, 2015. Accessed

September 24, 2017

Coming Out. YouTube, uploaded by Connor Franta, 8 December, 2014,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYodBfRxKWI

Mcconnell, Elizabeth A., et al. Identity, victimization, and support: Facebook experiences and

mental health among LGBTQ youth. Computers in Human Behavior. November 2017. Vol

76. 237-244.

http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.csun.edu/science/article/pii/S074756321730448X

Magazine, European. The Positive Side Effects. Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-european- magazine/positive-side-

effects_b_5117984.html
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How Social Media Shapes Identity| Ulrike Schultze | TEDxSMU, YouTube, uploaded by TEDx

Talks , 23 , April, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSpyZor-Byk

COMING OUT | Melina Sophie. YouTube, uploaded by Melanie Sophie, 31 July, 2016,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZTOs7Qq6pQ