"Being Yourself" Online: Supporting Authenticity for LGBTQ+ Social Media Users

Abstract

My dissertation work investigates the role of experiencing authenticity and inauthenticity in LGBTQ+ people's social media behavior. It also asks what sociotechnical factors might support or impede efforts to "be yourself"on social media. In general, people strive to "be themselves,"or feel and act authentically. They seek out environments in which they feel they can express themselves and act according to their values, and avoid environments in which they cannot. For LGBTQ+ people, online spaces in which they can be themselves are particularly crucial, both for personal wellbeing and for forming supportive relationships. However, the drive to "be themselves"is often in tension with the drive to protect themselves from harm. Concerns around privacy and unintended disclosure, harmful experiences with other actors (from both within and without the LGBTQ+ community), and subtle cues embedded in platform design can all contribute to this tension. Through a combination of experimental and deep qualitative research, my dissertation will yield important insight into how marginalized social media users assess and navigate their online environments, and identify opportunities to support vulnerable users.