Sexual Identity Online Main Page
Contents |
Within the realm of the virtual world, many concerns and opportunities have arisen about the role of identity and its online fluidity. Offering users the chance to alter identity in ways never previously possible, sexual and gender boundaries have particularly been blurred. Similarly, the online implications associated with race, gender, ethnicity and ability versus disability are far less prominent in a world where physicality is meaningless.
The most commonly discussed positive aspect to come from virtuality and the presence of online communities is that people can now present themselves without fear of persecution. Whether it be the portrayal of personality traits or behaviours that they are curious about, or if it is the announcement of a real world identity component that has never before been announced, the Internet allows users to become less inhibited and fearless.
This ability to feel free to be one’s self and to embrace all types of people has resulted in a number of important opportunities for society. Of note, is the ability for people to explore the roles of gender and sexuality in a manner that can be harmless, yet interesting and helpful to those undertaking the change. As Judge (1997, p. 100) discusses in his discussion of renowned cyber researcher, Sherry Turkle, Ms Turkle “believes computers provide people with the means to explore the boundaries of self by shifting from one persona to another, even when they jump from writing a memo in one window to joining an online chat in another �.
Particularly, online identity has given people the opportunity to feel comfortable in wide ranging roles, some of which may be underlying aspects of the user’s life, but which are not yet able to be portrayed in the real world.
An example of these sorts of opportunities, can be seen through the establishment of many communities welcoming gay and lesbian teens who are dealing with their sexuality. Such forums and communities allow teens to share their experiences with one another and older gay and lesbian people, and they also provide a space that is both non-threatening and non-judgemental. In a review of such a community, Silberman (in Holeton, 1998, p. 118) quotes an information technology worker, Tom Reilly, as stating
“The wonderful thing about online services is that they are an intrinsically decentralised resource…Kids can challenge what adults have to say and make the news…If teen organisers are successful somewhere, now everyone’s gonna hear about it. This is the most powerful tool queer youth have ever had�.
Primarily, concerns regarding virtual identity revolve around the areas of misrepresentation and the effects between on and offline existence. Sexuality and sexual behaviour online provide some of the most controversial debate with many concerned about the predatory nature of some users. This is particularly in reference to concerns about child pornography and the ability of paedophiles to obscure their identity (please visit the pages on Pornography_And_Internet_Technologies pornography for a more in depth discussion).
Additionally, the idea of each and every user’s ability to portray themselves has resulted in much discussion about the validity of online relations. (This can be read in further detail by accessing the Implications page).
Finally, the concerns regarding the connection between on and offline lives are challenging the notions of what constitutes as real experiences. In reference to gender, sexuality and sexual behaviour, the ability to play with these ideas has resulted in a questioning of how virtual experience may affect one’s offline emotions. As McRae (in Porter, 1997, p. 75) states,
“At its best, it [virtual sex] not only complicates but drastically unsettles the division between mind, body, and self that has become a comfortable truism in Western metaphysics. When projected into virtuality, “mind�, “body� and “self� all become consciously manufactured constructs through which individuals interact with each other �.
Sexual Identity Online Main Page
