“It Changed My World:” Social Media As a Conduit for Democracy Among Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People of Color

Background and Purpose: Social media has been termed “liberation technology,” given its abilities to amplify the voices of those who are often excluded from sociopolitical discussions in the mainstream media. Social media can then be a conduit for democracy and the generation of knowledge and action for the common good. This is particularly important for trans and gender nonconforming people of color (TGNC POC), who have recently experienced an increase in intersectional oppression. However, empirical literature on the oppressive and supportive experiences of TGNC POC on social media remains limited. For TGNC POC, social media may be a metaphorical double-edged sword, offering social support while simultaneously perpetuating intersectional oppression. Hence, we examined two research questions through a qualitative study: 1) How do TGNC POC experience oppression in social media? and 2) How do TGNC POC experience social support in social media?

Methods: Fifteen in-depth, semi-structured Zoom interviews in English and Spanish were conducted with TGNC POC who navigate experiences of social support and oppression while using social media. Participants were recruited using posted fliers, emails to community partners, and snowball sampling. The sample was primarily gender expansive (e.g., nonbinary, trans, nonconforming; 73%), Latine (47%), and English-speaking (80%). Common social media platforms the participants utilized included Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Interviews were transcribed verbatim in English and Spanish, and coded in researcher pairs using Drisko & Maschi (2016)’s interpretive content analysis. Peer debriefing, usage of a detailed audit trail, and positionality statements were incorporated to ensure trustworthiness and rigor.

Results: In our thematic patterns, TGNC POC participants reported enduring oppression in social media through exposure to anti-trans groups, anti-trans religious and political discourse, cyberbullying, and hateful remarks related to intersecting identities (e.g., racism and transphobia). They mainly combated oppression by blocking harmful users, speaking out against discriminatory messages, and taking ownership of the content of their accounts. TGNC POC described experiencing social support by consuming and circulating trans-affirming content, promoting their personal businesses and art, and connecting with other TGNC POC for community support. Generally, participants highlighted that oppression and social support can coexist during a single encounter. For example, when pursuing social support by seeking romantic dating, participants reported experiencing transphobic and hateful comments online.

Conclusion and Implications: The participants’ experiences support previous research indicating that social media use can be both helpful and harmful among TGNC POC. Social workers should be aware that TGNC POC using social media may respond to systemic oppression by promoting creativity, financial stability, resource navigation, and agency. Our findings have implications for leveraging democracy online in a way that ensures the common good of marginalized groups.