Presentation of preliminary data for Gender, Sexuality and Digital Media project

1. Gender, Sexuality and Social Media
Elija Cassidy / Ben Light - @doggyb

2. Digital Media Publics
Communication in computer based networks (Johnson
1997)
reproducibility – information can easily be reproduced with digital media -
information can be recorded, it can observed and it is persistent;
scope – electronic networks can offer greater reach in terms of information sharing in
contrast to physical networks;
anonymity – individuals can communicate with digital media by using pseudonyms.
Networked Publics (boyd 2008a; boyd 2008b)
replicability - expressions can be copied from one place to another verbatim;
persistence - communications are recorded for posterity;
invisible audiences – it can not be fully known who may engage with content in such
arenas;
searchability – information can be easier to find due to indexing and search facilities;
scalability - have greater reach and impact than physical networks

3. Digital Media Publics
Networked publics as political and
exclusionary and as reinforcing structural
arrangements through inaction
(Crawford et. al. 2014; Light 2014)

4. Networked Masculinities
Those masculinities (co)produced and reproduced in
conjunction with digitally mediated networked publics
and their associated properties.
Co-production and re-production, rather than just
production - networked publics work often involves
other people and things.
See: Light, B. (2013) Networked Masculinities and Social Networking Sites: A Call for the Analysis of Men and
Contemporary Digital Media, Masculinities and Social Change, 2(3): 245-265. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/65758/

5. Why Networked
Masculinities?
Many seek to validate their masculinity in the public world rather than the
private world of family and relationships - we need to see power as
something that circulates via the social web (Whitehead & Barrett, 2001).
A key part of the masculinities studies enterprise should be researching
institutions in which masculinities are embedded and which have weight in
social orders as a whole - we need to think about power structures on a
global scale (Connell, 2012).
Gender is influential in reasons for social networking site usage (boyd,
2008b; Hargittai, 2007; Tufekcki, 2008)

6. Why Networked
Masculinities?
It will offer a greater range of sites within
which the construction of masculinity and male
difference occurs (Moore & Schmidt, 1999).
It responds to continued lack of attention paid
to the men’s gendered experiences more
generally (Hearn et al., 2003).
If we are to continue to the work on overcoming
the persistent problem of gender being
predominantly attributed to women (Faulkner,
2002), then research that takes men, as a
central unit of analysis, continues to be
required.

7. Negotiating Publics
Encrypted pseudonyms on the French public Minitel
(Livia 2002)
Resistance and appropriation (Light 2007)
Crypto-tagging, the use of face masking techniques,
and the adjustment of audience settings (Lange
2007).
Networked identity work (Vivienne and Burgess 2012)
Social steganography (boyd and Marwick 2011).
Articulation of private spheres of interaction
(Papacharissi 2010)
Continued use of unpopular spaces (Robards 2012)
Disconnect.me (Karppi 2014)
Disconnective Practice (Light 2014)

8. Demographics
Male
Transgender
Other
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
18 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
65 +
n=148
n=148

9. Heterosexual
Gay
Bisexual
Queer
Unsure
Do you have a disability?
Yes
No
n=148
n=147

10. American 26
Argentinian 1
Australian 103
British 6
Canadian 1
Filipino 1
German 1
Hungarian 1
Korean 1
Mexican 1
New Zealander 4
Salvadorian 1

11. Demographics
n=148
Higher managerial, administrative or professional
Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional
Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial,
administrative or professional
Skilled manual worker (Formal training required for
position)
Semi-skilled manual worker (Informal training required for
position)
Unskilled manual worker (No training required for position)
Student
Retired
Unemployed
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
How would you describe your main occupation at
present?

12. Demographics
n=148
Living very comfortably on present income
Living comfortably on present income
Getting by on present income
Finding it difficult on present income
Finding it very difficult on present income
0.0%
20.0%
40.0%
60.0%
Compared to someone who might be described as living
on the poverty line in your country, which one of these
phrases comes closest to describing the nature of your
income at present?

13. Dancing Games(e.g. Dance, Dance Revolution)
Singing Games(e.g. Singstar)
Vehicle Simulation(e.g. Flight Simulator X)
MMORPG(e.g. World of Warcraft)
Social Networking Site Based Games(e.g. Farmville, Words with Friends)
Musical Instrument Based Games(e.g. Guitar Hero, DJ Hero)
Sports Games(e.g. FIFA)
Life Simulation(e.g. The Sims)
Racing Games(e.g. Ridge Racer)
Fighting Games(e.g. Street Fighter)
Platform Games(e.g. Mario, Sonic)
Sandbox(e.g. Grand Theft Auto)
Shooter(e.g. Halo, Call of Duty)
Puzzle Games(e.g. Candy Crush Saga, Bejewelled, Tetris)
0
50
100
150
I don't play these games
Puzzle Games(e.g. Candy Crush Saga, Bejewelled,Tetris)
Shooter(e.g. Halo, Call of Duty)
Sandbox(e.g. Grand Theft Auto)
Platform Games(e.g. Mario, Sonic)
Fighting Games(e.g. Street Fighter)
Life Simulation(e.g.The Sims)
Racing Games(e.g. Ridge Racer)
Musical Instrument Based Games(e.g. Guitar Hero, DJ Hero)
Sports Games(e.g. FIFA)
Social Networking Site Based Games(e.g. Farmville,Words with Friends)
MMORPG(e.g.World of Warcraft)
Vehicle Simulation(e.g. Flight Simulator X)
Singing Games(e.g. Singstar)
Dancing Games(e.g. Dance, Dance Revolution)
-10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
Play
n=133

14. 64
34
49
36
21
34
26
18
18
16
16
23
3
8
12
38
19
26
20
1
12
27
23
18
19
3
16
10
12
7
6
17
9
1
6
20
7
19
9
0
17
10
5
1
1
9
1
3
4
6
3
4
4
0
6
2
4
3
3
7
7
0
1
3
3
1
0
0
2
1
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Puzzle Games(e.g. Candy Crush Saga, Bejewelled, Tetris)
Shooter(e.g. Halo, Call of Duty)
Sandbox(e.g. Grand Theft Auto)
Platform Games(e.g. Mario, Sonic)
Fighting Games(e.g. Street Fighter)
Life Simulation(e.g. The Sims)
Racing Games(e.g. Ridge Racer)
Musical Instrument Based Games(e.g. Guitar Hero, DJ Hero)
Sports Games(e.g. FIFA)
Social Networking Site Based Games(e.g. Farmville, Words with Friends)
MMORPG(e.g. World of Warcraft)
Vehicle Simulation(e.g. Flight Simulator X)
Singing Games(e.g. Singstar)
Dancing Games(e.g. Dance, Dance Revolution)
I play these games alone
With male friends/family
With female friends/family
With female partner
With male partner
n=133
Play

15. Play
37
22
22
17
8
6
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
49
40
37
33
26
17
14
1
5
1
0
0
0
0
29
41
39
55
48
45
57
17
19
0
4
1
1
0
12
21
25
23
38
44
47
97
88
55
65
76
66
54
0
3
0
1
1
7
0
7
9
38
41
35
36
40
0
1
0
0
0
2
1
1
3
21
10
11
18
24
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
9
3
2
5
8
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Shooter(e.g. Halo, Call of Duty)
Fighting Games(e.g. Street Fighter)
Sandbox(e.g. Grand Theft Auto)
Sports Games(e.g. FIFA)
Racing Games(e.g. Ridge Racer)
MMORPG(e.g. World of Warcraft)
Vehicle Simulation(e.g. Flight Simulator X)
Platform Games(e.g. Mario, Sonic)
Musical Instrument Based Games(e.g. Guitar Hero, DJ Hero)
Dancing Games(e.g. Dance, Dance Revolution)
Life Simulation(e.g. The Sims)
Puzzle Games(e.g. Candy Crush Saga, Bejewelled, Tetris)
Social Networking Site Based Games(e.g. Farmville, Words with Friends)
Singing Games(e.g. Singstar)
Extremely Masculine
Highly Masculine
Somewhat Masculine
Neutral
Somewhat Unmasculine
Highly Unmasculine
Extremely Unmasculine

16. Sexualization of characters and game
marketing influenced my ratings of these
game genres. Call of Duty wasn't marketed
with pink guns or rainbows, for example.
Gender of known gamers in these
categories.
Content of certain games. For example,
conversations with male friends point to
being comfortable with the escapism of
controversial games such as GTA, whereas
female friends typically found the game
abhorrent and unappealing.

17. I know very few female
gamers. The male gamers I
know flock to the games that
I rated masculine, and
strongly shun any other style
of game that doesn't meet the
criteria. I know people that
refuse to play Guitar Hero,
won't even try it, just because
it lacks the inherent
masculinity of a sport game
or shooter. Additionally,
games like Gears of War are
so overly male oriented, its
hilarious.

18. I work in the game industry and so I
thought about the people that we generally
market to or are generally marketed to for
each genre of game. I also thought about
people I know who play each type of game
and who are immersed in the culture of
each type of game.
I don't think video games have anything to
do with masculinity or femininity. I've
played many Online games and tend to find
females and men playing. Many men also
play as female characters and no one cares.

19. Gaming
Based on the game
Based on players
Based on stereotypes
Contradictions in masculinity

20. 122
101
99
99
90
89
73
38
36
33
32
21
20
18
3
18
22
21
24
28
42
50
61
52
66
57
38
68
0
2
3
3
4
3
7
21
13
8
20
24
24
21
0
3
1
1
5
4
3
16
15
32
7
23
42
18
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Boating(e.g. Motorboats, Powerboats, Sailboats, Kayaks/Paddleboats, Jet
skis, Parts/Accessories)
Children's Clothes & Accessories(e.g. clothes, shoes, underwear, watches,
jeweller)
Automotive(e.g. Cars/Vans/Trucks, Motorbikes/Scooters, Trailers/
Campervans, Parts/Accessories)
Hardware(e.g. Tools, Garden needs)
Homewares(e.g. Furniture, White Goods, Home decor)
Women's Clothes & Accessories(e.g. clothes, shoes, underwear, watches,
jewellery)
Sports and Fitness(e.g. Bikes, Gym Equipment, Camping/Hiking Gear,
Bats/Balls/Racquets/Clubs, Sports Supplements)
Men's Clothes & Accessories(e.g. clothes, shoes, underwear, watches,
jewellery)
Print Media(e.g. Books, Magazines)
Miscellaneous/Other(e.g. Flowers, Groceries, Alcohol, Shares, Antiques/
Collectibles)
Electronics(e.g. Computers, TV/DVD, Games consoles, Audio Systems,
Cameras, Phones)
Travel(e.g. Plane Trips, Public Transport, Rental Car, Hotel, Holiday
Package)
Digital Media(e.g. Music, Games, Movies, TV Shows)
Tickets(e.g. Movies, Concerts, Theatre/Dance, Other Events)
Did not buy
1-5 times
6-10 times
More than 10 times
Shopping

21. Shopping
n=32
Female friends
Male friends
Female family members
Female co-workers
Male co-workers
Male family members
Other- please specify (e.g. clubs, groups, blog
readership etc)
0
10
20
30
40
50
Who shares online offers with you?
n=58
Male friends
Female friends
Female family members
Female partner
Male family members
Female co-workers
Male co-workers
Male partner
0
10
20
30
40
50
Who do you share online offers with?

22. n=123 n=55
45.5%
54.5%
Do you follow sports?
Yes
No
96.4%
3.6%
Do you follow sports online?
Yes
No
Sports

23. Sports
n=55
Sports news sites (e.g. ESPN)
Sports news pages (e.g. sports section of mainstream news
Official Team/Club websites
Facebook groups and pages
Official Association/League websites (e.g. AFL, NRL)
Twitter (e.g. following players, events)
Fan sites/forums
Official Event/Competition websites (e.g. Wimbledon)
Fantasy leagues
Instagram (e.g. following players, events)
YouTube
Google News/Search
cricinfo
Watch Online
0
10
20
30
40
In what ways do you follow/engage with sports online
Online sports fandom is dominated by men
what extent do you agree with the following statement:
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Don't know
n=122

24. Most sports that take up
prime time television seem
to be geared towards men,
so in order to find
information about prime
time viewing television, the
information is sourced
online, So it would make
sense for the information to
be geared towards men.
It depends what sports
you're talking about - eg.
tennis might be equally
followed by women as it is
by men. But yeah, by and
large, sports fandom online
is a guy thing.

25. I think misogynist men's voices are
unfortunately the loudest ones we hear in
society, both online and offline. Society
places higher value on men's sport than
women's sport and consequently we are
shown and hear more about men's sport,
which is highly male-oriented, with females
only as scantily-clad cheerleaders.
From what I gather on social media sites,
when a major game is on, State of Origin
for example, the majority of statuses/
comments come from men. Women
participate, but are definitely not as loud or
passionate for the game as men (appear).

26. I don't think its 'dominated by men.' I
think men are the majority however on
all my favorite sports sites/blogs there
are many female commenters.
Additionally, both of my main Fantasy
Football leagues were won by 2
different females. Not sure if that's
much of a justification of a broader
principle though.

27. Sports
16
52
33
18
0
0
0
3
19
42
55
0
0
0
6
22
34
43
4
0
0
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Extremely Masculine
Highly Masculine
Somewhat Masculine
Neutral
Somewhat Unmasculine
Highly Unmasculine
Extremely Unmasculine
Participating in a football match
Attending a football match
Participating in online football fandom

28. At Work
74
73
31
31
16
16
22
23
26
22
21
21
12
11
7
7
17
18
10
9
9
6
9
10
3
8
5
5
5
5
1
2
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Co-worker (male)
Co-worker (female)
Immediate Supervisor (male)
Immediate Supervisor (female)
Immediate Supervisor's Manager (male)
Immediate Supervisor's Manager (female)
Staff I manage (male)
Staff I manage (female)
Because we're friends/mates
To help advance my career
To keep an eye on them/track their activities
Other
n=83

29. 81
27
43
23
8
3
18
6
19
25
0
35
32
38
43
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
Google+
I use this site to connect with work colleagues
I do not use this site to connect with work colleagues
I am not a user of this site at all
At Work
n=85

30. Sharing Life
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Do not share online with anyone
Private Forum/Site
Family Members (Male)
Family Members (Female)
Mates (Male)
Mates (Female)
Colleagues (Male)
Colleagues (Female)
Do not share
online with
anyone
Private
Forum/Site
Family
Members
(Male)
Family
Members
(Female)
Mates (Male)
Mates
(Female)
Colleagues
(Male)
Colleagues
(Female)
Finance
79
4
13
13
12
10
4
1
Relationship Issues/Concerns
73
5
8
12
21
18
3
3
Health Problems
66
12
15
18
20
16
3
2
Personal Grooming (e.g. haircuts, facial hair, clothes, or
grooming products)
64
8
15
17
29
24
11
9
Personal Fitness
54
18
20
21
30
30
14
13
Experience of Grief (e.g death of a loved one)
52
7
21
24
25
25
8
7
DIY/Household Projects
47
11
29
26
37
31
19
18
Parenting Activities
34
2
6
8
6
6
3
4
Who do you share information about the following areas of your
life with online?

31. Sharing About Health
13.3%
86.7%
Are there any specific health issues you have faced
that you would talk about with other men online
that you wouldn't talk about with other men offline?
Yes
No
n=113

32. Please list up to 3 specific health issues you have
faced that you would talk about with other men
online that you wouldn't talk about offline?
Relationship issues Sexual issues
Sexual health
Abscess on penis
Chronic Depression Relationship Issues Childhood Abuse
stds/herpes/aids/etc
STI's Depression Phimosis
STD fears Other sexual health issues
Mental health issues/
Depression & anxiety
Sexual health issues.
Mental health concerns/
Depression & Anxiety.
Sexual health issues.
Depression
erection issues
dick stuff
varicose veins in testicles
Depression Sexual function
Depression Sex Relationships

33. My attraction to men is not known to my
family and friends - online is a way you can
talk to other same-sex attracted men about
sti prevention etc
Online you can chose to be nameless or
faceless. I don't want to acknowledge these
issues to friends out of fear of judgement or
gossip.

34. Being able to discuss these issues in an
anonymous online forum allows you to be more
open and forthcoming with information and
experiences of health issues that may carry a
stigma in day to day life. The fear of stigma
would prevent me from opening up about these
issues offline.
I am careful talking about depression,
relationship issues and childhood abuse
because of the stigma. In the anonymity of
public online forums, I can express myself more
freely. I don't care if it's males or females who
answer.

35. You're more likely to find
people with similar
experiences you can learn
from and discuss things
with. There's also a degree
of anonymity, plus I feel like
I can discuss things with
more time and more
specifics when working in
text than face to face.
Because it's embarrassing to
talk about a genital problem
offline. Duh.

36. 10
17
4
6
0
1
23
18
25
31
33
16
16
24
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Have shared with my partner (Male)
Have shared with my partner (Female)
Have shared with friends (Female)
Have shared with friends (Male)
Have shared with colleagues (Female)
Have shared with colleagues (Male)
Have shared with strangers (e.g. on dating site, health/fitness forum, or sex site)
Naked/Nude
Shirtless
Online Personal Image Sharing
75
38
56
57
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Have never shared
Have Shared
Naked/Nude
Shirtless
n=113

37. Online Personal Video Sharing
n=113
1
4
2
3
0
0
3
1
4
4
5
1
1
2
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Have shared with my partner (Male)
Have shared with my partner (Female)
Have shared with friends (Female)
Have shared with friends (Male)
Have shared with colleagues (Female)
Have shared with colleagues (Male)
Have shared with strangers (e.g. on dating site, health/fitness
forum, or sex site)
Naked/Nude
Shirtless
106
7
103
10
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Have never shared
Have shared
Naked/Nude
Shirtless

38. 42.5%
57.5%
Have you ever used digital media to find
sexual/romantic partners?
Yes
No
Finding Partners
n=113

39. Sharing Life
Sense of Humour
Independence
Maturity
Physicality
Sense of Adventure
Lifestyle Habits (e.g. Drinking habits, Drug habits, Dietary preferences)
Sensitivity
Hobbies
Sexual Prowess
Sense of Style
Career Success
Practicality
Other (please specify)
Financial Success/Stability
Political Persuasion
Sporting Prowess
Spiritual/Religious views
0
10
20
30
40
What main traits were you trying to emphasise about yourself
when using digital media to find sexual/romantic partners (e.g.
on your personal profile)?
n=47

40. Having Partners
n=113
n=40
36.3%
63.7%
Have you ever had cybersex?
Yes
No
Friends - Male
I don't discuss cybersex activities with anyone
Partner - Female
Friends - Female
Partner - Male
Colleagues - Male
Colleagues - Female
Mother
Father
Siblings - Male
Siblings - Female
0
10
20
Who did/do you discuss your cybersex
activity with?

41. Accessing and Distributing Porn
86.6%
13.4%
In the last 12 months have you accessed online
pornography?
Yes
No
n=112
12
19
8
2
1
1
0
0
64
8
11
13
2
1
1
1
0
70
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Partner (Male)
Partner (Female)
Friends (Male)
Friends (Female)
Family Members (Male)
Family Members (Female)
Colleagues (Male)
Colleagues (Female)
Nobody
In the past 12 months I have VIEWED pornography with
In the past 12 months I have SHARED pornography with
n=97

42. Gender, Sexuality and
Digital Media

43. References
boyd, d. (2008a). Why Youth ♥ Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life.
In Youth Identity and Digital Media. D. Buckingham, Ed. Cambridge, MIT Press: 119-142.
boyd, d. (2008b). Taken out of Context: American Teen Sociality in Networked Publics (Unpublished PhD
Thesis). Berkley, USA, University of California-Berkeley.
Crawford, G., Gosling, V., Bagnall, G., & Light, B. (2014). Is There an App for That? A Case Study of the
Potentials and Limitations of the Participatory Turn and Networked Publics for Classical Music
Audience Engagement. Information, Communication and Society, Online First, 1-14. doi:
10.1080/1369118X.2013.877953 http://eprints.qut.edu.au/68422
Johnson, D. G. (1997). "Ethics Online." Communications of the ACM 40(1): 60-65.
Karppi, T. (2014). Disconnect.Me User Engagement and Facebook (Thesis Narrative for PhD by Publication).
Turku, University of Turku.
Lange, P. G. (2007). "Publicly Private and Privately Public: Social Networking on YouTube." Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication 13(1): 361-380.
Light, B. (2007). "Introducing Masculinity Studies to Information Systems Research: the Case of Gaydar."
European Journal of Information Systems 16(5): 658-665.
Light, B. (2013). "Networked Masculinities and Social Networking Sites: A Call for the Analysis of Men and
Contemporary Digital Media." Masculinities and Social Change 2(3): 245-265.
Light, B. (2014). Disconnecting with Social Networking Sites. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Livia, A. (2002). "Public and Clandestine: Gay Men's Pseudonyms on the French Minitel." Sexualities 5(2):
201-217.
Mansell, R. and B. S. Collins (2005). Cyber Trust and Crime Prevention. In Trust and Crime in Information
Societies. R. Mansell and B. S. Collins, Eds. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: 11-56.
Marwick, A. E. and d. boyd (2011). "I Tweet Honestly, I Tweet Passionately: Twitter Users, Context Collapse,
and the Imagined Audience." New Media & Society 13(1): 114-133.
Papacharissi, Z. (2010). A Private Sphere. Cambridge, Polity Press.
Robards, B. (2012). "Leaving Myspace, Joining Facebook: 'Growing up' on Social Network Sites."
Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies 26(3): 385-398.
Vivienne, S. and J. Burgess (2012). "The Digital Storyteller's Stage: Queer Everyday Activists Negotiating
Privacy and Publicness." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 56(3): 362-377.