Identity, Speech and Liberation in a Digital Landscape An Inquiry into Human Rights Discourse and Cultural Exchange in Queer Communities on Facebook
Abstract
This research project examines the use of human rights language in queer communities on Facebook with the objective of analysing how this language impacts those spaces discursively, especially in the context of political and liberationist discussion. It also seeks to examine the cultural diversity in these spaces, or lack thereof, especially where it concerns social and political norms adopted by the community. The project utilized a non-participant observation methodology and was analysed using critical discourse analysis. The research revealed that queer communities on Facebook do utilize human rights language to a significant degree, and that the primary impact of this discourse is a tendency to filter global queer experiences through a Westernized perspective, reflecting a philosophy of universalism in human rights rhetoric. Based on the research results, the study recommends that human rights scholars and queer activists reflect critically on the utility of human rights as a political framework for engaging with global queer liberation, and localize efforts to fight for queer rights with the highest possible degree of respect for and understanding of regional and cultural diversity.