Queer Joy and Affirming Youth Sexuality in Online Spaces

• In Event: Reauthoring Queer Joy and Justice

Abstract

What can online spaces offer queer and trans youth in the face of failed sexuality education programming? How do these spaces dismantle the racist, cis-heteornormative, and colonial discourses that often frame the sex ed experiences of youth in schools? Recent studies have highlighted how the sexual needs of 2SLGBTQI+ youth are often omitted from sexuality education classrooms. We explore how social media platforms intersect with queer joy to create digital spaces for education, emotional support, and queer pleasure. Ultimately, we argue that social media platforms help to foster discourses of joy and sexual activism and serve as a critical space for affirming youth sexuality.

Authors

• Katie Hamill, University of New Brunswick

• Melissa Erin Keehn, University of New Brunswick