"It's Like a Safe Haven Fantasy World": Online Fandom Communities and the Identity Development Activities of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

• Published in: Psychology of popular media 2020-04, Vol.9 (2), p.236-246
• Main Authors: McInroy, Lauren B, Craig, Shelley L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent Development; Community Attitudes; Community Involvement; Female; Human; Identity Formation; Male; Needs; Online Community; Preferences; Safety; Self-Perception; Sexual Minority Groups; Test Construction
• ISSN: 2689-6567; 2689-6575
• DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000234

Internet-enabled information and communication technologies may play an increasingly crucial role in the identity development of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). This article uses data drawn from an online survey and employs qualitative content analysis to explore the potential influence of participation in media-driven online fandom communities on the identity development activities of a sample (n = 3665) of SGMY (aged 14-29) across the United States and Canada. The overarching framework of online fandom participation and identity development activities is one of individualized experience based upon personal developmental trajectory and the individual's needs and preferences. Results are organized into seven themes. Six themes were particularly emphasized by SGMY as contributions of online fandom to their identity development: (1) discovery and realization, (2) exploration and experimentation, (3) safety and anonymity, (4) validation and normalization, (5) authenticity and self-acceptance, and (6) sharing identity. A seventh theme consists of a negative case analysis of participants who felt that fandom (7) did not contribute to their identity development but was still valuable. Findings are situated within existing SGMY identity development scholarship. Public Policy Relevance Statement Internet-enabled information and communication technologies play an increasingly crucial role in the identity development of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). The central finding of this article is that participation in online, media-driven fandom communities is perceived by a significant proportion of SGMY as contributing to their identity-development process. Existing stage-based models of sexual minority identity development are reconsidered for their applicability to contemporary SGMY engaging with popular media.