Community

Advocacy

Outside Virtual Contexts

In terms of community building, this space played a huge role in connecting individuals to those alike. In the public sphere, it can be difficult for LGBTQ+ members to fully embrace who they are. However, in this online space it allowed for people to be who they wanted to represent online, and engage with others who stood with them. The community that was built was safe for them, it allowed for growth, learning, expression, and acceptance: notions that are not common in the public sphere.

These feelings of relief and comfort are only possible because of the intricacies that virtual spaces offer. Virtual contexts is a way to find individuals who share similar interests as you by a simple search of a hashtag, and by building and maintaining friendships online via means of engagement with each others online presence.

By developing ones online self, and engaging with others who share beliefs that coincide with yours, the massive evil world we live in suddenly feels cozy, small, and accepting as you become surrounded by those who lift you up, not bring you down.

Advocacy is a significant aspect of any counter-public. #LoveWins in specific, was built as a result of the lack of acceptance from the main public. That being said, through the development of this online space; there was a major push for advocacy both in the real world and in this digital sphere.

When it comes to social media, advocacy can get tricky. There are notions like performative activism, where users are advocating and speaking on the matter without following through with any actual means of advocating. This is to increase their social capital and appeal to a larger demographic, but never follow through with other advocacy means. This is a major fault in online communities, as there needs to be initiative that directly fuels change.

While that is one downside, a majority of the advocacy measures taken within this space and outside of it are impactful. There is constant communication regarding protests, rallies, marches, and particular organizations and charities to donate to in order to drive immediate change or impact. This is only possible because the speed in which digital spaces enable one another to communicate in. The immediacy and reach is immeasurable, thus, the impacts are unlimited. Users in this space utilize this aspect to its highest level of maximization.

While this course highlights the impacts in which digital spaces have on our very lives, it is important to recognize the integration of digitized notions into the real public sphere.

The virtual space studied: #LoveWins, epitomizes the perfect example of how a digital space can be translated into the real-world. These spaces, as aforementioned, encapsulate a strong sense of connectivity, speedy communication, advocacy measures, and support groups. These directly transfer to the real-world, when the conversations they are having in this space, become conversations and rallies in the public space.

Capitalizing on the immediacy, large audience, and charismatic environment in this space; when there is any form of movement being communicated there is always a showing from any nearby community members.

Nonetheless, this community and its well-renowned #LoveWins, showcases truly how influential social media can be. The hashtag saying is recognized in the public sphere without needing the hashtag symbol. At any LGBTQ+ event one can say "love wins," and the meaning is understood. Posters, merchandise, and other other means of showing this phrase; its meaning will be easily comprehended.

This is possible only because of the relevancy it has on social media. Without the hashtag constantly trending and conversations always occuring, it would not have taken off with popularity like it has. Now, it is a phrase that is recognized, understood, and representative of the online community— both in and out of this digital space.