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Confess, Come Together, Change the World (or Not): Mental Illness Discourse on Instagram Amongst Queer Women and Non-Binary People

Boom, Kesiena LU (2020) SIMV21 20191
Graduate School
Master of Science in Social Studies of Gender
Abstract
This study explores the usage of Instagram by queer women and non-binary people within the context of divulging intimate details of one’s mental illnesses on the platform. Situated within a framework of Foucauldian ‘confession culture’and the radical feminist concept of ‘the personal is political’ amongst others, this research uses interviews and autoethnography to understand and contextualise queer women and non-binary people’s motivations for their confessional practices on Instagram. These motivations are found to be a search for a sense of belonging and community and a wish to engage in political action for social change. The viability and extent of achieving these goals is explored and problematised. Furthermore, autoethnography is... (More)
This study explores the usage of Instagram by queer women and non-binary people within the context of divulging intimate details of one’s mental illnesses on the platform. Situated within a framework of Foucauldian ‘confession culture’and the radical feminist concept of ‘the personal is political’ amongst others, this research uses interviews and autoethnography to understand and contextualise queer women and non-binary people’s motivations for their confessional practices on Instagram. These motivations are found to be a search for a sense of belonging and community and a wish to engage in political action for social change. The viability and extent of achieving these goals is explored and problematised. Furthermore, autoethnography is used to explore how consuming memes on Instagram can be incorporated into an anti-future politics which stands in contrast to the politics of hope espoused by the interviewees. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Boom, Kesiena LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV21 20191
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Foucault, Instagram, queer, LGBTQ, lesbian, bisexual, mental health, mental illness, the personal is political, memes, confession, anti-future, belonging, community, political action, autoethnography
language
English
id
9003249
date added to LUP
2020-02-11 12:07:39
date last changed
2020-02-11 12:07:39
@misc{9003249,
  abstract     = {{This study explores the usage of Instagram by queer women and non-binary people within the context of divulging intimate details of one’s mental illnesses on the platform. Situated within a framework of Foucauldian ‘confession culture’and the radical feminist concept of ‘the personal is political’ amongst others, this research uses interviews and autoethnography to understand and contextualise queer women and non-binary people’s motivations for their confessional practices on Instagram. These motivations are found to be a search for a sense of belonging and community and a wish to engage in political action for social change. The viability and extent of achieving these goals is explored and problematised. Furthermore, autoethnography is used to explore how consuming memes on Instagram can be incorporated into an anti-future politics which stands in contrast to the politics of hope espoused by the interviewees.}},
  author       = {{Boom, Kesiena}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Confess, Come Together, Change the World (or Not): Mental Illness Discourse on Instagram Amongst Queer Women and Non-Binary People}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}