LGBTQ+ Youth Engaging in Media Critique and Advocacy Via Creative Online Fandom Communities

Background and Purpose:

Virtually all young people in North America are online, and LGBTQ+ youth may be particularly active. Many post creative content (e.g., writing, artwork). Online media provides critical opportunities – fostering global communities of common identities and interests. These communities may engage in advocacy, leveraging online networks for social justice.

Creative online communities (i.e., fandoms) are vibrant digital communities of fans of various media (e.g., books, movies). These communities produce and consume creative materials by fans (e.g., stories, artwork) based on elements of those media. Fandom communities have a rich history of advocacy, including regarding LGBTQ+ issues.

Research on LGBTQ+ youth organizing within online fandoms is non-existent. This paper examines how LGBTQ+ youth use online fandom contexts to engage in media critique and social advocacy.

Methods:

Participants (n=3665) were drawn from a mixed methods, online study of LGBTQ+ youth across The United States and Canada (March–July 2016).  Recruitment: (1) targeted emails to agencies; (2) targeted social media outreach (e.g., Twitter, Tumblr); and (3) paid social media advertising (i.e., Facebook, Instagram).

Participants were 14–29 (x̄=17.77) and active online (99.6% were online daily). Participants could select multiple LGBTQ+ identities. Sexual identities included: pansexual (33.4%), bisexual (25.5%), queer (21.8%), asexual (15.2%), lesbian (14.9%), and gay (12.7%). Gender identities included: woman/female (39.7%), non-binary (27.5%), genderqueer (18.8%), trans* man/male (13.9%), man/male (13.4%), and trans* woman/female (2.0%).

Qualitative Content Analysis permitted manifest and latent meanings to be identified, and allowed reciprocal inductive and deductive analyses. Two coders undertook creation of a preliminary coding scheme, followed by focused analysis to generate a thematic framework. Trustworthiness was reinforced through conformability and consensus.

Results:

Quantitative. Participants were asked about their advocacy within online fandom communities (e.g., posting about an issue in fandom, making donations to fan-led initiatives). Well over one-third (39.8%) of participants had participated in such activities, while over one-quarter (26.7%) had participated in such activities specific to LGBTQ+ issues. Participants were also active in advocacy outside fandom communities: 61.3% had signed an LGBTQ+ petition and 19.7% had volunteered for an LGBTQ+ organization.

Qualitative. Analyses indicated fandom: (1) encouraged open-mindedness and empathy; (2) created an impetus in participants for engaging in advocacy (inside and outside fandom); and (3) encouraged critique of poor LGBTQ+ media representation. Challenging stereotypical tropes, particularly representation of LGBTQ+ people as sexualized and/or disposable (e.g., “dead lesbian syndrome”), was particularly prevalent. Participants could engage with varying formality, including: (1) informal connections via online platforms and (2) formal fan-led online campaigns. Activities included: social media remonstrations, organizing/signing petitions, and fundraising for LGBTQ+ causes. Fandom communities offered an accessible and supportive environment populated by other young advocates, providing a context for safe exploration of advocacy opportunities.  

Conclusions and Implications:

Fandom communities foster online advocacy by LGBTQ+ youth. This study found participants engaged in networks of young, LGBTQ+ fans that encouraged them to challenge poor LGBTQ+ media representation. Such communities provide minimal barriers to participation, offering digital tools for community-building and access to knowledge on advocacy. Implications for research and practice are discussed.