#instafluencer

Queer Globalization

The Internet has been a tool of immense value since it was released to the public in the early 1990s. It has made communication nearly instantaneous across the globe, and allowed for many boundaries to be broken, creating communities of individuals finally able to seek freedom from their oppressive surroundings. For queer teenagers living in rural areas, the Internet may have been the first place they learned queer terminology, or discovered an identity label that fit their lived experience. 

There has been an increasing amount of frustration from queer individuals and individuals of other oppressed groups who feel that they are constantly asked to explain their own oppression to those ignorant and/or privileged enough to not understand. The internet has done great things for normalizing queer identities, largely by making information accessible. Beforehand, if one wanted to understand the nuances of transgenderism, they would have to scour research libraries with one eye always checking behind their back to make sure they wouldn’t be accosted for researching “perversions.” Now, it’s as easy as a simple Google search that can lead to millions of results, from tweets to YouTube essays to news articles to scholarly journals, all from the comfort and privacy of one’s own home. For example, one can find many comprehensive lists of terms and allowances granted by privilege on Sam Killermann’s excellent website.

Another important part that the Internet has played is in greater visibility for the LGBTQ+ community, with queer content creators and Instagram Influencers generating millions of clicks. More and more people are feeling comfortable and safe enough to be publicly open with their identities and it inspires other members of the community to do the same. A potential downside is that some people have appropriated queer fashion trends or took on labels that don’t actually apply to them in order to gain social status. However, this doesn’t happen too often, and in some cases can be part of someone’s journey on their search for identity, trying on different labels to see what feels right. Part of the beauty is that with the ability for instant communication comes the option for instant change and creation, with new names for identities cropping up frequently, allowing people to be more comfortable within themselves.