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"My Voice Is Definitely Strongest in Online Communities": Students Using Social Media for Queer and Disability Identity-Making
- Journal of College Student Development
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 58, Number 4, May 2017
- pp. 509-525
- 10.1353/csd.2017.0040
- Article
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Abstract:
In this qualitative study I explored the social media activities of 25 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students with disabilities at a research-intensive university. Using a framework of identity-making that accounts for students' reflections, narrations, and actions, I detail students' experiences exploring queer/disability identities through social networking sites, smartphone applications, and blogs. Students described going online to find validation, become involved, and manage identities contextually; however, students also described experiencing marginalization online and feeling isolated, suggesting implications for higher education, including the need to critically evaluate students' online engagement.