Charan Siddarth

                                    Transgender, LGBTQI identities and social media

Abstract: This project looks at the impact of social media on trans people's identity development and whether it can be used to acquire social support and hence improve positive identity development. Social media may enhance or detract from students' university experiences, and it has a particularly powerful impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-heterosexual and gender-diverse (LGBTQ+) persons who face stigma and prejudice. Social support is a critical aspect in psychological well-being and adaptive coping in traditional theories of identity formation, as well as those for trans people. Many trans persons, on the other hand, may have trouble locating or obtaining direct social assistance. Three primary themes emerged from the phenomenological research and analysis: Social Support, Negative Interactions and Microaggressions, and Access. There were further sub-themes of visibility, coming out, direct experiences of hostility and pressure to comply, indirect experiences of perception and external expectations, as well as the frequency of usage and social media tools.

Keywords: Transgender, personal growth, peer benefits, social media, trans, universities and colleges, identities, LGBT, life changes, achievement, sexuality, technology transparency, sexual identity, postsecondary learning, identity, and technology.

INTRODUCTION: Universities give students the opportunity to learn, form connections, and obtain the information and skills necessary for personal development (Arnett, 2015). Students may use social media to help them get the most out of their academic experience. Researchers discovered that interacting with peers on Facebook is linked to improved social adjustment and reduced loneliness (Yang and Brown, 2013, 2015; Yang and Lee, 2020); interacting with future housemates online reduces feelings of uncertainty and awkwardness in offline interactions (Thomas et al., 2017); and browsing profiles helps students learn about their peers and obtain information for navigating university (StephensonAbetz and Holman, 2012; Thomas et al., 2017). (Yang et al., 2014). Social support is a significant aspect of psychosocial well-being and adaptive coping in traditional theories of identity formation (Cohen, 2004; Finch, Kolody, & Vega, 2000; Noh & Kaspar, 2003; Aaron, 2015). The relevance of social support in the identity formation of trans people has also been discovered (Davey, Bouman, Arcelus, & Meyer, 2014; Budge, Adelson, & Howard, 2013; Erber, 2015). Positive social experiences breed self-confidence, security, and communication skills, according to trans identity development models, and a lack of "social support is, directly and indirectly, related to depression and anxiety, with avoidant coping as a mediating variable" (Bockting & Coleman, 2007, p.185) (Budge et al., 2013, p.554). Students, on the other hand, are not a homogenous population, and students with varied social identities, such as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, queers, and other non-heterosexual and gender-diverse identities (LGBTQ+), would certainly have distinct experiences with social media. Gender is defined as a 'biopsychosocial construct that includes components of identity, expression, role, and experience' (Iantaffi, 2021: 21) in this article. While many LGBTQ+ students see university as a time for personal growth (Formby, 2017; Acciara, 2015), others report discrimination, including verbal harassment, exposure to written discriminatory comments, physical violence, and a lack of gender-inclusive spaces and inclusive reporting practises (Allen et al., 2020; Thompson et al., 2019). Discrimination is also reported by postgraduate students, with PhD students citing a variety of examples.

Purpose Statement and Research Questions: This study aims to explore if technology/the internet, namely social media, may help trans people get those "good social experiences [that] nurture self-confidence, security, and communication skills" (Bockting & Coleman, 2007, p.185). In addition, the goal of this research is to figure out how the potential unfavourable elements of Trans people may also face social interactions such as isolation, bullying, and trans-phobia., people through the internet The following research questions and hypotheses are posed in this study relevant sub-questions: (1) What are trans people's experiences with social media? (2) How do trans people see their experiences gaining access to and using social media?as it relates to the formation of their identity? (2a) What are the experiences of trans people who utilise social media in terms of social support perception? In this study, identity development is modelled after D'Augelli's model of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Identity Development, which also considers gender identity (D'Augelli, 1994). This lifetime model is built on a social environment in which several complex identity formation processes can occur simultaneously throughout an individual's life through social interaction, self-concepts, relationships with family and friends, and community connections. (1) Exiting traditional identity; (2) Developing a personal identity; (3) Developing a social identity; (4) Becoming a "offspring"; (5) Developing an intimate identity; and (6) Joining a community are the six phases of identity development proposed by D'Augelli. Being a "offspring" refers to a stage in a person's life when they have a role model or mentor in the LGBTQ+ community who they can turn to for advice and support. This mentor may be present in the individual's life, but he or she may not be "out" to family, friends, or the community. The intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1990) of trans people's identities may be addressed using D'Augelli's model of identity formation and Queer Theory (Butler & Byrne, 2008). That is to say, the study's participants are more than simply a single person. Performance of LGBTQ+ identification While some LGBTQ+ students see university as a time to explore their identities (Formby, 2017; Valentine et al., 2009), others claim to be suppressing their LGBTQ+ identity (Miller et al., 2019; Stonewall, 2018). There are a variety of reasons why someone might choose not to disclose their LGBTQ+ identity, including fear of rejection or punishment due to culture or religion; believing that others hold stigmatising attitudes; being unsure of one's identity; wanting to maintain others' perceptions; and fearing Talbot et al. 3 rejection or punishment due to culture or religion (Schrimshaw et al., 2018). Hiding one's LGBTQ+ identity, on the other hand, can have negative implications, such as increased feelings of rejection, diminished closeness, and acceptance in social interactions, contributing to the disproportionately high incidence of mental health concerns among this demographic (Bachmann and Gooch, 2018; Newheiser and Barreto, 2014). Gender and sexuality displays are therefore deliberately produced in response to certain social settings, illuminating the performative character of gender and sexuality - a viewpoint we use in this paper. Individuals are expected to visibly act in a way that corresponds to societal standards, which is important to social constructionist conceptions of gender (Brickwell, 2006). Gender identities, according to Butler (1988), are co-created, reproduced, negotiated, and internalised, giving them a performative dimension. While Butler's study focuses on gender, academics have regularly modified her findings to better understand other aspects of identity, such as sexuality (Van Doorn, 2010; Wadbled, 2019). Morgenroth and Ryan (2020) drew on Butler's work to create a "theoretical framework of the continuation and rupture of the gender/sex binary" (pp. 1–2) that applies to sexuality. They proposed that gender performance consists of four elements: character (i.e. gender classification), costume (i.e. body and appearance), script (i.e. behaviour), and the stage (i.e. the physical and cultural environment) on which the performance takes place. LGBTQ+ identity, applying an approach of strategic outness (i.e. the continual and contextual management of sexual identity). Brumbaugh-Johnson and Hull (2019) highlight how strategic outness is also relevant to gender-diverse individuals who continuously make strategic decisions about gender performance and identity disclosure based on social context. They argue that coming out as transgender is ‘best conceptualised as an ongoing, socially embedded, skilled management of one’s gender identity (p. 1148). Gender and sexuality performances are no longer restricted to offline encounters, thanks to technological advancements, and social media is one key platform for identity performance. In the next part, we'll look at the research on LGBTQ+ students' usage of social media and how it relates to conceptions of digital personhood.

Gender and sexuality performances on the internet: LGBTQ+ people use social media to find online communities, develop new connections, and access information that is not available offline (e.g., Adkins et al., 2018; Jenzen, 2017; McConnell et al., 2017). Bates et al. (2020) discovered that social media provides safe environments for LGBTQ+ kids to create and explore their identities. This isn't to say that certain social media platforms aren't antagonistic to LGBTQ+ persons. Online hate speech, trolling, harassment, and threats of sexual and physical violence have all been reported by LGBTQ+ persons (Mkhize et al., 2020; Scheuerman et al., 2018). As a result, many LGBTQ+ persons carefully regulate their gender and sexuality performances on social media (Hanckel et al., 2019). LGBTQ+ people use privacy and security controls, monitor self-expression, manage friendship networks, create multiple accounts, curate and edit personal photographs, and limit LGBTQ+-related content to more anonymous spaces to manage these performances (Duguay, 2016; McConnell et al., 2017; Vivienne and Burgess, 2012). Researchers have studied online presentations of identity using theories of digital personhood, with many using Goffman's (1959) theory of self to describe how people strive to customise their performances of self to specific audiences. 'Maintaining various aspects can bring solace and empowerment for marginalised persons since they can find acceptance and support in some societies despite being despised by society as a whole,' according to Boyd (2002). (p. 27). Boyd, on the other hand, was one of the first to recognise that managing these many elements is particularly difficult on social media, When key contextual indicators are removed and platforms fail to discern across audiences, this is referred to as 'context collapse.' We learn more about how particular social media sites, such as Twitter, remove context, making it more difficult for an individual to manage their identity selectively and successfully in future work (e.g. Marwick and Boyd, 2011). Kerrigan and Hart (2016) have more recently used Turner's (1960, 1974) dramaturgical method to illustrate how digital personhood is meticulously created, portrayed, and mobilised through social media. Turner's (1960) idea of liminality, which refers to the state of being 'between and between' one state and another, is central to their work. On social media, Kerrigan and Hart (2016) discovered evidence of multiple temporal selves,' in which users strive to bind their activity within particular platforms to manage different moods. However, the availability of prior identity performances on social media implies that, while shifting to a new state, former selves can coexist with present selves. As a result, occasionally performances fall apart owing to social media leakage,' in which attempts to keep distinct digital personas separate fail. In the following part, we'll look at what these digital performances entail in the context of the university, as well as the issues of managing digital identities as students adjust to this new environment.

Methodology of Investigation: This study used a phenomenological technique to conduct in-depth interviews with self-identified transgender people to learn about their experiences with social media and their perspectives of its importance in their identity formation. The study's main focus was on the phenomenon of trans people using social media. More broadly, the project aims to give a better understanding of the factors that impact trans people's identity development and to inform positive identity development models for trans people, mental health professionals, and their communities. The information acquired in this study aids in identifying effects on trans people's identity development and gives further information to the general public regarding trans people's identity development. This is in the hopes that a greater understanding may lead to a reduction in self-harm and violence towards trans people. Justification and Importance: There were certain improvements to the non-discrimination provisions established by the greater metropolitan region around two years before this research study in the town where the research was done. These provisions included prohibitions against discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and services based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The amendments were reversed by a public vote after an enormous push to add those safeguards was successful. During this time, a big group of LGBTQ+ community members banded together to volunteer in the fight to overturn the repeal. They arrived from all around the city, including adjacent cities and rural areas. The researcher saw a mother and her adolescent kid attend the volunteer facility on one occasion. They had driven a long distance to volunteer. As they moved around the room of volunteers, the teen, who identified as trans, and their mother were practically in tears. They remarked, "I had no idea there was anyone else like me." It was a life-changing experience. It raised the question: how could this youngster feel alone despite all of this technology — the Internet, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter — and the capacity to interact and communicate instantly with people from all over the world? This got the researcher thinking about online bullying and how, according to most studies, it's on the rise, as well as the feelings of isolation that can arise as a result of unpleasant encounters. According to preliminary searches, while there have been various studies on perceptions of social support resulting from social media use, few have focused on disadvantaged populations, and essentially none have focused on the trans population. The goal of this research is to have a better knowledge of trans people's experiences and growth. These 9 studies intend to expand to the corpus of work now focused on trans persons by providing insight into crucial elements impacting those experiences and growth, therefore improving both the trans community's and advocates' understanding of trans individuals' experiences and development.

CONCLUSION

Finally, LGBTQ+ students utilise social media to investigate, hide, defend, and express their identities. When it comes to adapting to university life, LGBTQ+ students confront unique obstacles, and social media may both aid and impede this process. LGBTQ+ students' online identities are diverse, contextual, and tied to certain platforms, with some alternatives to Facebook providing a space where students may express themselves authentically. Importantly, our data suggest that LGBTQ+ students, like other LGBTQ+ populations (Kitzie, 2018), are not passive consumers of social media. Instead, they are active actors who use the instruments at their disposal to negotiate identity performances. Designers should prioritise the voices of LGBTQ+ students when creating social media that is safe, inclusive, and celebratory of LGBTQ+ identities, according to us. LGBTQ+ students used a variety of protective tactics to govern their online performances and liminal states because certain platforms, such as Facebook, provide information that is public-by-default (Cho, 2018). This research aims to close the information gap and give a better understanding of the internet and social media as elements in trans people's identity development. There were certain improvements to the non-discrimination provisions established by the greater metropolitan region around two years before this research study in the town where the research was done. These provisions included prohibitions against discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and services based on sexual orientation and gender identity. As a result, occasionally performances fall apart owing to social media leakage,' in which attempts to keep distinct digital personas separate fail. In the following part, we'll look at what these digital performances entail in the context of the university, as well as the issues of managing digital identities as students adjust to this new environment.

REFERENCES: • https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1461444820981009 • https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4341&context=theses • https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/539682/160719_REPORT_LGBT_evidence_review_NIESR_FINALPDF.pdf • https://www.scie.org.uk/personalisation/specific-groups/lgbt • https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/body-image-report/sexuality-gender-identity • https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/history