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Social media self-presentation of LGBTQ plus youth in the United States: the role of identity exploration, context collapse, and supportive feedback
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DOI：10.1093/jcmc/zmaf020.png)
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Abstract
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For those with marginalized identities, social media may offer opportunities for identity exploration and affirmation but may also pose challenges of context collapse, wherein the presence of multiple audiences makes identity-related posting awkward or dangerous. To probe short-term longitudinal patterns, 337 LGBTQ+ 15- to 22-year-olds completed six weekly surveys during Pride Month. As hypothesized, identity exploration was associated with self-reported frequency, positivity, and authenticity of youths' LGBTQ+ self-presentations online, primarily among those who, on average, rated their online audiences as less heterogeneous (i.e., perceived less context collapse). Consistent with the self-effects model, positivity of self-presentations predicted increases in self-acceptance and self-esteem, with the latter association stronger for those who, on average, received more supportive feedback. In contrast, frequency and authenticity of self-presentations did not predict self-acceptance and self-esteem. For LGBTQ+ youth, social media can be both a safe space and a risky one. It can offer opportunities to explore and express their identity, but also expose them to a wide mix of online audiences, including people who may not be supportive. This study followed 337 LGBTQ+ youths, ages 15 to 22, across six weeks during and after Pride Month. Youths who were more curious or reflective about their LGBTQ+ identity reported posting more often, more positively, and more authentically online. However, this was most true for those who perceived themselves to be posting to a homogeneous audience (e.g., they did not perceive their audience to include a mix of friends, family, classmates, and strangers). Positive posts about their LGBTQ+ identity tended to lead to increased self-acceptance and self-esteem, especially for those who got supportive feedback. These findings highlight how social media can shape LGBTQ+ youths' sense of self, and how supportive online spaces can make a real difference in how they feel about themselves.
Keywords:
FACEBOOK
ONLINE
GAY
VICTIMIZATION
SHIFT
MEN
US
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