Social media offers a open and critical place for LGBT and other gender Minority groups to explore and discuss there identities with others. Over the years it has become a safe space, especially for the younger generations to be able to freely express themselves and develop there sense of self being. It allows this to happen through enhancing the resources and connections with peers so they feel as part of a united front. This development within social media has encouraged people to come out, share there stories and experiences and create more LGBTQ-focused content helping to normalise and draw more attention to it
Despite this, there is still are large proportion on cyberbullying and homophobia towards individuals who openly identify themselves within the LGBT community. This can be particularly detrimental to the youth who are actively viewing this type of content and discriminatory content towards other people. This can cause 2 major problems. The first one is that young adults or teenagers who find themselves identifying with the LGBT may be under the impression that it’s “wrong” or is something to be ashamed of due to all the backlash they receive. This causes may people to stay heavily closeted and no express who they really are. On top of this, this will heavily damage there senses of self worth and esteem feeling as though who they are isn’t right or good enough. Another consequence of negative social media content is the encouragement. People like to jump on the bang waggon and follow what they think everyone else is doing, leading to people hating on others because that’s what they think is the right thing to do. This is why is important we are putting in preventions to stop the hate and encourage people to love who they are.
This is why social media influences are so important! They help to show impressionable kids in the right direction and show them that all identities are normal and doesn’t have to define you as a person. Influences help to provide entertaining content that also educates and brings to light what it’s really like to be a part of the LGBTQ community. Due to this, social media platforms such as TikTok are making a change. They’re making significant progress in quickly removing hateful and offensive content and instead promoting creating that are educating and portraying a positive and light hearted message out into the community. This is why we need to encourage more stars to bring to light the positive aspects in order to outweigh the negatives
Here are a couple LGBTQ internet sensations:
Jeffree Star
Jeffree Star came out a long time before he became an internet sensation with his YouTube channel accumulating over 15 million subscribers. His channel became a place of security within this subscribers as a place to openly take out their sexuality and issues within the LQBT community. As Jeffree has always been extremely comfortable and confident with his sexuality through his content, it opened a door for others to express themselves in a similar way. He became a spokes person for many closeted members and brought the LGBT into the main stage within the social media world.
His main popularity began with his open and honest content about makeup reviews and even the processes of him building his now 200 million dollar business that has frequently collaborated and supported a variety of LGBT owned brands. An example of this being his collaboration with Jouer Cosmetics, who donated all the money made to an LGBT civil rights organisation
Shane Dawson
Shane Dawson is best known for his YouTube content for his 19 million subscribers around conspiracy theories and more recently the launch of his and Jeffree Stars conspiracy makeup pallet collaboration. In 2015, Shane came out as a bi-sexual man publicly on his channel which market a milestone in his content as well as the community itself. Shane started sharing more of his own experience of what it was like being a bi man himself as well as posting content with his new husband. This contented help changed the way creators viewed coming out videos and pushed people to open up and speak out about there experiences as well. Shane’s fun and bubbly character only boosted his popularity and in doing so his content became more and more world known.