Twenty years of ‘cyberqueer’: the enduring significance of the Internet for young LGBTIQ+ people

Brady Jay Robards, Brendan Churchill, Son Vivienne, Benjamin Hanckel, Paul Byron

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (Book)Researchpeer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This chapter reflects on how ‘cyberqueer’ (Wakeford 2000 [1997]) spaces – digitally mediated spaces inhabited by queer people – have changed and evolved over the past twenty years. In doing so, we explore the enduring significance of the internet in the lives of young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people. We draw on data from an Australian survey, and specifically look at different patterns of self-reported gender, sexuality, and social media use across four age cohorts of young LGBTIQ+ people: 16-20, 21-25, 26-30, and 31-35. The findings from this study suggest that many of the productive and significant dimensions of the internet identified by Wakeford for queer users some twenty years ago endure today, albeit in new forms amidst new challenges.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationYouth, Sexuality and Sexual Citizenship
EditorsPeter Aggleton, Rob Cover, Deana Leahy, Daniel Marshall, Mary Lou Rasmussen
Place of PublicationAbingdon Oxon UK
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter10
Pages151-167
Number of pages17
Edition1st
ISBN (Electronic)9781351214742
ISBN (Print)9780815379874
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Publication series

NameSexuality, Culture and Health
PublisherRoutledge

Keywords

  • social media
  • sexuality
  • LGBTIQ
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Tumblr
  • Snapchat
  • Grindr
  • Tinder
  • queer
  • internet

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