Youth and Social Media: Resistance to Narratives That Construct LGBTQ Identity and Mental Health Stigma

• In Event: Culture and Mental Health Stigma: Communication as Barrier and Bridge Across Generations

Abstract

This presentation focuses on the intersections of advocacy, strategic communication, and marginalized populations. This research applies the cultural-economic model (Curtin & Gaither, 2005, 2007), based on du Gay et al.’s (1997) circuit of culture, to explore the perceptions of LGBTQ suicide prevention and anti-bullying efforts. Chat-based interviews were conducted with 24 LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 18 who varied in racial and ethnic identity, socio-economic class, age, geographical location, and level of “outness." Data reveal resistance to narratives that construct LGBTQ identity and mental health stigma. This research considers digital and social media within a changing advocacy landscape.

Author

• Erica Ciszek, U of Houston