Marginalized Turned Mainstream
As
Gary Downing illustrates in his journal article “Virtual youth:
non-heterosexual young people's use of the internet to negotiate their
identities and socio-sexual relations”, we are introduced to a marginalized cluster
of youth that so easily become engulfed by the shunning and embarrassment created
by those youth and adults living “mainstream” existences that are now finding a
new way to not only accept their own sexuality, but also having the opportunity
to embrace it and mingle with others who are in their same or similar position.
Downey explains that “geographic scholarship has also explored the relationship
between technology and young people’s immediate socio-spacial environments”;
LGBT youth who were previously limited by their local culture and society and
now able to cross over into something of a parallel world where they can openly
speak how they want and relate with others who have felt the same. These
non-heterosexual websites thus provide a venue for LGBT youth to gain a sense
of belonging and community while being able to openly seek out friends,
mentors, and potential boyfriends/girlfriends, granting them the opportunity to
take their minority position to a mainstream source- the Internet.
In
the journal article by Jonathan Alexander, he champions these LGBT websites
saying that “young Internet-savvy teens can ‘follow dispatches from queer
activists worldwide, hone [their] writing, flirt, try on disposable identities,
and battle bigots-all from [their] home screen[s]” allowing us to see the
security and safety that these online communities provide for LGBT youth. Even
while Downing considers the effect that these online communities may have on
face-to-face initial interactions, it is not altogether limiting these
friendships and relationships to online, but rather provides a solid basis for
the youth to establish a connection before taking the step of meeting
face-to-face. Alexander points out “many of these kids are in rather isolated
areas, and they want to know that they are not alone in the world”, which is a
fantastic opportunity that the World Wide Web provides.
In
conclusion, both Downey and Alexander do a phenomenal job of bringing forth a
new lens for us to analyze youth with- one which takes a marginalized bunch of
youth and sees how they use mainstream tactics, such as online forums and
websites, to create their own microcosmic communities of support. I feel that
these online communities present a good first step for LGBT youth to be able to
feel comfortable and safe about coming out and seeking out new relationships
and friendships, my own quandary regarding this is the potential for
cyberbullying and inappropriate use of this site. If we already are
experiencing a high level of bullying online in schools and such stereotyping already
in our society, I just fear that these sites are bound to cause some youth
dismay if others create users and expose these youth who are not ready to step
into their shoes in reality. The LGBT community needs a venue of expression and
safety, I only hope this online option does not come back to haunt anyone.
Jasmine Ali
Alexander,
Jonathan. "Introduction to the Special Issue: Queer Webs: Representations
of LGBT People and Communities on the World Wide Web." International
Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies 7.2-3 (2002): 77-84. Springer
Link. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Downing,
Gary. "Virtual youth: non-heterosexual young people's use of the internet
to negotiate their identities and socio-sexual relations." Children's
Geographies 11.1 (2013): 44-58. Print.
Jasmine did a fantastic job of identifying communalities between both articles. Although her essay was very insightful, I especially liked the following quote, “LGBT youth who were previously limited by their local culture and society and now able to cross over into something of a parallel world where they can openly speak how they want and relate with others who have felt the same.”. It is still surprising that LGBT individuals have to use the internet as a resource for acceptance, especially as they have gained social support so rapidly. The Supreme Court has certainly supported their rights, and therefore has pressed for the rest of the country to follow their beliefs. Today a lot of schools around the area have school groups created for and by LGBT. Although our culture has become substantially tolerant and even supportive to this group of individuals, there are still some who are much less tolerant, Which might limit the fluidity of this group of youth, which is why the internet can be helpful.
ReplyDeleteI think Jonathan Alexander's point that “many of these kids are in rather isolated areas, and they want to know that they are not alone in the world" (mentioned in the blog essay) is a compelling reason for non-heterosexual youth to pursue online forum and websites to feel less alone. Moreover, the blog essay's comment regarding online communication as a stepping stone to offline interactions is very important. As the blog essay points out, face-to-face interaction may be the most difficult ostracized non-heterosexual youth but with a core network online and then potentially offline, this becomes crucial. This is because an offline network to help deal with similar issues may act as a more tangible and comforting entity than online chat forums, which take out the personal aspect. So in this respect, online websites and forum are a great resource for non-heterosexual youth to become acclimated with the local gay community and find a rich social network.
ReplyDeleteJasmine did an excellent job in summarizing the readings as well as in pointing out the role of social network to the LGBT community. The reading reminds me of the argument made by Thrasher, in which he illustrated how youth tend to carve out their interstitial space when the existent social organizations failed to address their need. As a result, youth direct themselves to form their own social organizations based on certain mutualities. During the course, we have observed this phenomenon by studying gangs, clubs within schools, the use of video games, and nowadays in the expansion of social network.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the tendency to escape from the society and seek for youth-based social organizations is more visible in those who obtain certain characteristics that are not quite widely accepted by the community.
I agree that the internet has given non-heterosexual youth a voice and opportunity to take their minority presence to a mainstream outlet. It has given this opportunity to youth across a large spectrum like those of Tahrir Square. However, an online presence is not enough to create the change sought for. In person mobilization is necessary. The youth of Tahrir Square used the internet as a medium to mobilize and gather together to make a material statement. Additionally, I fear the internet sometimes creates a false sense of confidence. When translated into reality, the consequences can be more severe than the repercussions received online. The internet also allows individuals to create the persona they wish to emulate, which may not translate to reality. I fear there is a large margin of error between perception and reality that could take a toll on everyone involved. This may more greatly affect non-heterosexual youth, since it seems they rely on the internet to initiate interactions.
ReplyDeleteI think the common argument that Jasmine perfectly identified in both articles gains significantly in strength once it is applied to other regions of the world. While it is indeed very hard sometimes to come out of the closet and assume one’s sexual preferences and one’s gendered identity in the United States, such a stance can equal a death sentence in other countries. In the former, community norms, lasting stereotypes and prejudices as well as peer pressure can be threatening forces that prevent teenagers from exerting their right to be whoever they feel like being and love whoever they want to love. But in the latter, it is sometimes an actual full-on legal system that is pressuring the teenagers into being nothing else than heterosexual males or females, forgoing the alternative “non-classical” possibilities. In those societies, internet communities can fill the void in these teenagers’ lives and provide a moral support for those who are forced inwards, unable to be themselves. The Downing article helps us understand in which ways those online networks provide an incredible source of support for non-heterosexual youth around the world.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this essay as I felt it did a good job summarizing the readings but also had enough input within the readings. Something I found very interesting was bringing up the other uses of the internet, such as cyber-bullying. Because the internet is such a free space, it can be both a safe space and also a very dangerous space as a lot of chat rooms have demonstrated over the past. The fact that there are many safe spaces for individuals of our community but more specifically the LGBT community, is a very beautiful thing and hopefully does not get construed into something it isn't. The use of the internet is a great way to connect many of these individuals to become more open and accepting of who they are without the constant negativity and shun that is created by society's norms.
ReplyDeleteThe author did a good job of summarizing Downing's article and illustrating the point that internet forums have largely been a tool of empowerment for LGBTQ youth. While I agree that the potential for cyber-bullying does exist, it seems like a relatively small concern, especially considering that many LGBTQ adolescents face threats of real, physical violence in their daily lives. Comparatively, an anonymous stranger on the internet doesn't seem so threatening.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that the author incorporates the article from Jonathan Alexander, as I find it to be the most compelling point. Many of these young people are geographically and socially isolated, which would prevent them from exploring their identities and the activism/social justice movements surrounding the LGBTQ community in a real-world setting. I think the points made in the articles/essay also speak to the larger impact that the internet and social media have had on adolescents and their exposure to social issues, which is critical to understanding the way youth engage with their environments.