Abstract
September 2021, as the world battles against the coronavirus pandemic, the video-based social media platform TikTok reaches 1 million users worldwide, which represents a colossal growth for the Chinese company ByteDance Ltd (Ceci, 2022). TikTok has throughout the years evolved from a video sharing platform such as Vines and Musical.ly into a platform reflecting creativity, networked communities and advocacy. One community whose presence is often highlighted on TikTok is the transgender community, who uses the platform as a means to represent and negotiate their identity, share their experiences of being transgender and normalise being a transman, a drag queen or a cross-dresser for example. The research paper which falls in the identity and online advocacy stream, hence serves as an investigation into the different ways in which TikTok has allowed trans people to represent their inner selves without directly facing the stereotypes of being different, and also establishes discussions on how online advocacy vis a vis gender minorities, particularly the transgender community can instil changes following the reveal of difficulties faced by this community. The ongoing technological progress of TikTok also contributes to the ways confirming accessibility to the platform which further eases the process of representation and advocacy. This paper represents an account of the ways in which Mauritian transgender people represent themselves on TikTok, as well as analysing the role of the platform when it comes to online advocacy for trans people, by putting in the limelight celebrities and transgender people from Mauritius, who create a supportive community for trans people. In so doing, the user-friendly architecture of TikTok will also be analysed.
Keywords: #TransgenderRepresentation #OnlineAdvocacy #Community #TikTok #Mauritius
Online advocacy and TikTok :The representation of transgender people in Mauritius
Introduction
Not to confuse with another term i.e. LGBTQI+, transgenderism, is an umbrella term used by people who feel their sense of gender does not correspond to their sex at birth. This term groups queer, transsexuals, cross-dressers, ambigender among others (Schiappa, 2021), while LGBTQI+ is an initialism referring to the community of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex as an entity. Before the mid-2019, transgenderism was merely regarded in some institutions as a ‘gender dysphoria’ – a mental health condition which would request transgender people to seek medical assistance. In May 2019, headlines of the most read newspapers such as the Independent would report “Transgender no longer classified as ‘mental disorder’ by World Health Organisation” (Barr, 2019). With the ongoing battles for equality towards the LGBTQI+ community, organisations such as Collectif Arc en Ciel and Young Queer Alliance in Mauritius and the Transgender Law Centre in the US and the ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association have emerged to take actions to counter the misconceptions associated with the transgender community. According to non-governmental organisation YUVA, Mauritius is regarded as one of the most transgender-friendly countries of the African continent, though much needs to be done to eradicate discrimination towards the transgender community since laws ensuring their protection are minimal (YUVA, 2021). For instance, the law in Mauritius only protects the LGBTQI+ community if they are facing violence and discrimination in contexts such as the workplace, but no other enforcements have been made concerning the freedom they have to express their gender as a trans women or cross-dressers. On another note, as the accessibility to social media platforms has increased following technological breakthrough worldwide, so did advocacy, particularly towards the transgender community, which became more famous on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, whereby advocates would write blogs to support trans people (Jackson et al., 2018). Recently with the surge in monthly active users, the platform TikTok has also become a ‘virtual public space’ for “community-engaged digital advocacy” (McKinnon et al., 2021) where trans people and celebrities themselves would create content to empower others and ‘break the taboo’ surrounding transgenderism. Henceforth, this paper serves as a investigation on the ways in which Mauritian transgender people represent themselves on TikTok, as well as analysing the role of this platform in online advocacy for transgender people and the ways in which TikTok facilitates the creation of content, leading to advocacy.
Self-representation heightened on TikTok
Self-representation in the media has been practised in the media long before the emergence of social networking sites. However, the ways in which transgender’s identity are represented differed depending on the media used. According to Goffman’s 1959 study on self-representation (cited in Thumim 2012), humans are “social actors” who negotiate their identity based on their surroundings and audience. As a result, our identity is a construct and a performance. Similarly, when it comes to online representation, individuals have more agency in the meaning-making of their identity as they are free to represent themselves as they wish, for their image is not controlled by another institution. However, transgender people have not always been rightly depicted in the media, particularly in offline media (i.e., movies, books and advertising). As highlighted by Davis (2009) and supported by McInroy and Craig (2015), the portrayal of trans people in traditional mainstream media were such that they were represented within an single dimension and essentialist point of view as being “villains”, “unlovable” or “requiring mental support” for example. Put another way, it seemed that from these representations, transgender people did not have their place in the society and media being a medium for passing on messages embedded with cultural meanings, reinforced stereotypical ideas around “maleness” and “femaleness” traditional societies were initially built on, hence creating hatred, mental illness and victimization of the transgender community, particularly towards transgender youth (McLaren et al., 2021). To illustrate, in 2009, The Cleveland Show released an episode the organisation Glaad described as transphobic, as a character shows disdain after having slept with a trans-woman (Paxton, 2009).
Fast-forward to September 2020, when TikTok started gaining in popularity. The social media platform constituted an opportunity for trans people to engage in self-representation, identity development as well as to oppose the misconceptions about their community (Bates et al., 2020 cited in Hiebert and Kortes-Miller, 2021). Likewise, TikTok became the “backstage” (cited in deKoster, 2010) Goffman described as the [virtual] place whereby people no longer have to “conceal” their inner self to match the heteronormative ideas and understanding of gender and sexuality. By creating up to 3 minutes videos countering transphobia, the transgender community has been able to have more control over their identity formation. The videos they post on TikTok include transformations videos, role-play, styling videos, relating their coming out, but also reacting to hatred comments all of which allows users to create a more informed understanding of the transgender community. As argued by Hiebert and Kortes-Miller (2021), the videos posted online by transgender people substantiate the fact that it takes courage and resilience to get validated by a heteronormative society, but TikTok has become a safe place for trans people to express themselves without been reported. For instance, the famous Vietnamese YouTuber Nikita Dragun portrays herself as a proud transgender woman, with a powerful TikTok biography; ‘Yes I was born a dude’. Similarly, in Mauritius, @ginger_mary6, Mauritian trans woman aims at showing the public at large that she is comfortable being a transgender woman by posting dance videos and replying to hatred comments in a positive way. Hence, TikTok can be seen as a platform facilitating self-representation of transgender people.
The shift to online advocacy on TikTok
Besides being a platform easing self-representation, TikTok has also become a platform for advocacy. In simple words, advocacy refers to the support one shows for a particular cause. As the public sphere has moved online (Burkell et al., 2014), advocacy has also shifted online following the salient use of social media platforms such as TikTok, which has brought positive impacts; no barriers in terms of geographical locations and language as TikTok now provides for subtitles and translations. In catering for online advocacy, TikTok has helped to create online supportive communities, based on emotions and connection (Hammond, 2017) not only among trans people, but also among heterosexuals. Vivienne (2011) used the term ‘trans storytelling’ to refer to the desire of transgender people on social media platforms to relate their daily life in a bid to make their sexual/gender orientation more acceptable in society. Online advocacy towards transgender people also implies to acknowledge the daily challenges trans people as well as other gender minorities face, to provide emotional and psychological support as the latter share their ‘raw’ emotions and daily life experiences (Jackson et al., 2018). For instance, Jade Marie Eichelberger, black trans woman engages in advocacy in her video series, Activism with Jadeexbadu on TikTok, where she shows her support to trans people in her videos, “We have to protect and advocate for ALL trans people” and discusses how a part of the society still finds every occasion right to critique transgender people, which is also a topic discussed by @i_am.alisha, Mauritian trans woman on her TikTok account.
Another facet of advocacy on TikTok is the creation of videos uplifting the trans community. Hiebert and Kortes-Miller (2021) found out that trans people on TikTok were likely to be one another’s “chosen family” such as it is the case for @Jadeexbadu’s video entitled “Dear Black Sisters”. Similarly, TikTok users’ often relate their experience of coming out to their families, which in some cases caused much tension, but we can see comments such as “Do you want a long distance mom hug”, “Am here if you want a friend” or “Am proud of you” from the trans community on TikTok (Ohlheiser, 2020). An example of a trans celebrity would be Laverne Cox, well-known for her role in the TV show Orange is the New Black, who uses her platform to show that trans people are beautiful and powerful and uses the #TransIsBeautiful on her videos to boost confidence of trans people. On another related note, advocacy on TikTok is also meant to instil changes and actions in favour of the transgender community. Fabrice Narainsamy, Mauritian ‘TikToker’ who engages in cross-dressing, shared a video about Caroline (a fictional female character he interprets) as a teacher who educates young people about the LGBT community, stressing that LGBT people must be respected and loved the way they are. Hence, this confirms that TikTok is a platform allowing users to engage in advocacy and take actions.
The platform’s affordances for advocacy
The third element which further proves that TikTok has become a platform for online advocacy is the affordances of the application in terms of digital storytelling and content promotion allowing for advocacy in Mauritius. Contrary to other social media platforms, TikTok does not require passive users to create an account to watch videos online. This is an added value as the Mauritian democracy using TikTok not only includes young people and tech-savvy. As a result, those who do not have an account can also watch content and share videos offline. As suggested by Su et al., (2021), the strong algorithm of TikTok also makes the platform ‘addictive’ resulting in different degrees of immersion in a virtual world due to the content being displayed. According to Shutsko (2020), TikTok is deemed to be a platform where creativity and representation of the self are guiding principles along with the platform’s user-friendliness such as the ability to film and edit videos without having to shift to another software and without requiring any experience, the ability to choose effects such as slow motion, filters such as makeup and add background music for lip-sync videos, all allowing transgender people to choose trendy music they identify themselves with for their videos. Moreover, TikTok uses hashtags and one of the most used hashtags for the transgender community is #2SLBGTQ+, which signifies Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Queer (Hiebert and Kortes-Miller, 2021). According to statistics from TikTok.com, the hashtag #transgendertiktok has generated over 5.7 M views in total. This hashtag groups videos of people in each corners on the globe and offers the possibility to tiktokers to ‘join this hashtag’ which also has a filter attached to it. In Mauritius, the #transgender and #mauritius are mostly used on content posted by the transgender community, allowing advocates and the public in general to watch videos of Mauritian trans people just by clicking on the hashtag. It should also be noted that TikTok offers users the possibility to ‘duet’ videos which amplifies the ability to engage in online advocacy as trans people may use this option to react and support others, reinforcing the online community. In Mauritius, transgender tiktokers usually ‘duet’ videos where they transition from one gender to another, creating a chain of videos about the same topic and using the same hashtag. Another example would be the way trans advocates in Mauritius would react on trans people content and show their appreciation and support, such as @i_am.alisha reacting on @fabnarainsamy’s video where he replies to hatred comments about his gender. Therefore, TikTok’s affordances make the platform more than just a video-sharing application in Mauritius; TikTok has become a platform to show support and appreciation.
Conclusion
To conclude, this investigation on TikTok affirms that the platform enables transgender people to represent themselves in different ways, highlighting aspects of their identities which were considered as a taboo before. TikTok which was released in 2016 has shifted from a video sharing mobile application to a social networking site whereby advocacy has become an integral part of the platform’s functions. However, it is undeniable that gender minorities, particularly transgender people are still facing stigma from heteronormative institutions, particularly in developing countries such as Mauritius. It hence lies in the responsibility of each and everyone to respect gender minorities and regard transgender people as human above all. Consequently, the representation of transgender people on TikTok in Mauritius represents an area for further research and investigation as limited research has been done till now on this particular context. As a result, institutions will be in a better position to better understand the identity formation of the transgender community and help to advocate for their rights.
References
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Hi
I wanted to congratulate you on writing a clear analysis on the topic. I enjoyed reading it and it gave me much knowledge, especially on the differentiation between lgbtq+ and transgenderism. I’ve always been intrigued to know more about the lgbtq+ and transgender community and this paper was a wonderful read. All the best, well done xx
Hello Riya,
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed it. As I was writing my paper, I realised that there were misunderstandings around the terminologies ‘LGBTQI+’ and transgender and wanted to make the clear distinction between both. But I am glad the representation of both LGBT+ and Transgender is becoming an area of research for scholars and even if the trans community still faces criticism, there is a huge wave of advocacy and support not only on TikTok, but also on other social media.
Thank you again for your comment! 🙂
Hey Marie,
Yes, I absolutely agree with you. TikTok and Instagram Specifically, have become a platform of expression and freedom for the transgender and LGBTQ+ community. There is still lots to research, discuss, and advocate on this subject. Thanks for writing and enlightening. 🙂
Moreover, I have written a paper on the use of social media and influencer culture on green fashion brands to promote sustainability. Pls, share your thoughts on it. Here’s the link 🙂 https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/ioa/557/analyzing-the-creative-use-of-social-media-and-influencer-culture-by-fashion-brands-such-as-green-fashion-brands-in-building-and-promoting-themselves-and-investigating-the-challeng/
Hi Julie,
I think that it was crucial to make this distinction in your paper, and I am glad you did, as I, myself, did not know the difference between the two terms!
– Ella Jones
Hi Ella, well Im glad to hear that !
Thank you for your comments.
Best,
Julie
Hi Marie, I enjoyed reading your paper, it was very interesting! Do you have any suggestions on how social media could become a more inclusive and accepting place for all minorities? I think representation for the trans community is amazing, but I know they still get a lot of hate, as you’ve pointed out.
Hello Chloe,
I’m glad you enjoyed the topic, thank you for having given it a read. Well, I think that before moving to social media platforms acceptance and inclusiveness towards the transgender community need to start in our daily social setting as what we do it real life, we tend to replicate it on social media.
Consequently, education remains the best way to raise awareness about social issues; and hatred towards a specific community is indeed an issue we need to tackle. I believe that the trans people just want to be respected and given equal rights, just as heterosexuals.
So to make SNS a more inclusive place for trans people and other minorities as well, I think we need to respect them in the first place in our daily life encounters.
Hope this replies your answer.
Wish you all the best,
Julie.
Hey Marie,
I really enjoyed your paper. I definitely agree that Tiktok provides lots of exciting opportunities for advocacy and community for minority groups. It was interesting to read how this relates to such a specific group as transgender indivuals in Mauritius. I thought the break down of the particular affordances that the community use was also useful when looking at how this might relate to other minority groups.
I wrote my paper on how the larger LGBTQ community utilize platforms such as Tiktok to suppport and legitimize their indentities if you are interested in reading –
https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/onsc/895/legitimizing-and-supporting-lgbt-identities-through-social-media-counter-publics/
Hello Robyn,
Thank you for having given my paper a read. I’m more than happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Well it is true that the trans people and other minority groups have within their reach means to promote advocacy, but it also lies in how other people react to their efforts to advocate for their rights, what do you think?
Thank you, I will definitely have a look at your paper 🙂
Wish you all the best,
Julie
Hi Julie,
First of all, your paper is incredibly well-written and informative. Trans people have been marginalized throughout history, so it was extremely interesting to learn about the impact that TikTok has in tackling transphobia. Learning about the LGBTQI+ associations in Mauritius was also a revelation to me as I was unaware of their existence. However, Mauritius is still quite conservative, do you think that the online representation of the trans community could bring about changes in legislations as well?
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your paper!
Hello Kareena,
Thank you for having read my paper. I’m really glad to know that it was informative to you. Well as you mentioned, Mauritius is still a conservative society with so many religions living all together. I definitely think that changes in the legislation can be made in favor of trans people following the waves of advocacy on social media as well as from NGOs such as YUVA and Collectif Arc en Ciel, but the reaction of Mauritians in regards to this new legislation might not follow the course. I don’t know if you recall this event, but in 2018 in Mauritius, the LGBTQI+ march was cancelled because of threats of violence towards the organizers (find a newspaper article relating the event here https://www.lemauricien.com/featured/le-monde-sinteresse-a-lannulation-de-la-marche-des-fiertes/209133/ ). This is a reaction we might expect from a segment of the Mauritian society, because we are still a bit conventional and orthodox, even if the Judiciary are free from bias.
What are your views about this topic?
Again, thank you for spending time reading my paper. Much appreciated.
Wish you all the very best
Julie.
Hi Julie,
Your paper is a very interesting one, comprising of a deep analysis of several points you have made in the paper. In fact, i was always in doubt regarding lgbtq +,transgenderism but after reading your paper, it has helped me to make the distinction. Also, transgender people are still facing disgrace and in order to break this taboo, it’s the responsibility of institutions to educate about the transgender community and thus they can help to promote their rights in the society.
Keep up the good work, Julie! 😊
Hello Navishta,
So happy that you learnt something out of my paper. Indeed, the trans community is still facing discrimination in different spheres of the society and I believe education remains the only solution to tackle this issue and it lies the responsibility of each and everyone to consider LGBTQI+ as human after all, because they are human.
Thank you again :).
Julie
Hi Julie,
I just want to say “Woaaw”, I am completely in love with your paper, this is so an interesting subject you have tackle here. I did not know about all the features and opportunities offered by TikTok to promote such minority groups and advocacy. Your analysis was just wonderful. As a Mauritian, I found that unfortunately, the ‘transgender community’ is still a taboo subject here, although there are different supportive actions taken online, why is that according to you?
Jean-Luc Zama.
Hello Jean-Luc,
Well I’m glad you found the discussion interesting. Thank you for your comment. I think Mauritius is still a conservative society and we somehow still perpetuate preconceived ideas about masculinity and femininity, which are mere stereotypes, unfortunately. Also, the media in general (mainstream media such as government media) does not portray the LGBTQI+ enough and as you said, although there are supportive actions from NGOs in Mauritius, they are still ‘underrepresented’, which is sad as we are raising children with some beliefs that the trans community is different from us.
What do you suggest to make the subject more accessible ?
Awaiting your response 🙂
Julie
Hi Julie,
Like you mention unfortunately Mauritius is still a very conservative society and I totally agree with you. This is why I think we should normalize talking on this community on regular basis in our primary and secondary schools. I think if we are able to teach our youngsters about the gender diversity it will be great start in bringing a change in the mindset of Mauritian people.
What are your thoughts about it?
Hello Jean Luc
Well I totally agree ! It would be a great start to have primary and secondary school start talking about gender diversity as part of their curriculum and also normalizing families with parents who do not only identify themselves as a man or a woman. I believe if we start talking about this topic and emphasize on the respect the trans people deserve, it might become more acceptable in Mauritius.
Hi Julie,
I’m glad to see that we share the same opinion on this matter. I hope our generation will be able to bring this change in a near future in our country.
Hi Julie,
Your paper was really good and informative. It provided a good insight on the impact of tiktok as a platform to help address transphobia. We often over look problems that doesn’t concern or affect us. Especially in Mauritius this is a subject is considered as sensitive and not many people have the corouge to speak up to help for a change.
Apart from tiktok or other apps to help educate people on this specific topic, what are there other measures that you think could be done or has to be done?
Overall really good paper, I really enjoyed it.
Hello Mathilda,
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad that you found the paper informative.
Well unfortunately, there is still much to be done on this level. I think the media plays a great role in disseminating ideas and constitutes a powerful opportunity for advocacy. If only the media could just advocate for the rights of trans people, I believe that this would be more than helpful. Other measures would include campaigns from NGOs such as YUVA Mauritius, which would aim at different groups such as the adolescents as we do not have the same understanding of issues. Changes in legislations also represents an opportunity for the Mauritian society to respect the rights of trans people.
Do you have any other measures to tackle this issue to share with us?
I look forward to reading your suggestions.
All the best,
Julie
Hi Marie,
Well done on your paper, its amazing! I loved your topic idea about TikTok being a platform in which the LGBTQ community can openly and normalise their genders to the public through creative content that people feel comfortable doing so. I have experienced many Titkoks that expose different genders in a way that makes communicating this topic exciting. TikToks allows filters and hashtags that get the topic flowing that in turn brings in accepting communities to support eachother and share/duet TikToks to help normalise these types of videos to the world with a lot of encouragement, tackling transphobia. I like how you have focused your paper on Mauritius as i was very uneducated on the transgender community there. It is interesting how it still seems to be a touchy subject to some, with TikTok giving hope and support to those who are apart of the LGBTQ community, making them feel welcome and accepted for who they are. Mautitians do tend to hold onto traditional values so changes to legislation could be a difficult task. Do you think other platforms could be more socially accepting when it comes to supporting the transgender community? Or do you think there are better ways in which we can educate the public in becoming more supportive when it comes to accepting the transgender community rather than just online?
Thanks, ciera
Hello Ciera,
Thank you for your comment and for reading my paper. Im so glad that you’ve been able to get some insight pertaining to the representation of transgender people in Mauritius. As you mentioned it, the Mauritian society strongly holds on to religious values. Many families inculcate religious values to their kids during their upbringing, which is a great thing by the way. I believe that to make the trans community more comfortable in Mauritius, we need to show our children to respect human beings as they are, irrespective of their gender from a very young age. As they grow up, we can discuss with them the multiplicity of genders. Respect and consideration should be equal vis-a-vis a woman, a transman or a gay.
In terms of advocacy and social media, I think TikTok remains a powerful tool, though Instagram and Facebook also constitute good opportunities to spread the word, but using different mediums. For example, on Instagram though we can post videos, sometimes Instagram music is not available in some countries (which is the case in Mauritius) and this makes spreadability a bit difficult.
Can you share a bit about advocacy and the trans community in your country of residence? I’d love to have some insights.
Thank you,
Julie
Hi Marie,
Thanks for explaining more about the Mauritian community and expanding on how growing up in a Mauritian society works. I agree when it comes to discussing the multiplicity of genders, considering children usually express their gender identity at around age 2-3 where they refuse to wear particular clothing, it’s important to encourage your child to feel comfortable and accepted in how they choose to present themselves from a young age so they later feel supported in what gender they want to identify as. This can create domino effects, especially if it is widely accepted by others around you in the community.
I had no idea that sometimes Instagrams music isn’t available in some countries, I feel this is why TikTok leads highly when it comes to expressing and communicating important information and leading advocacy of the trans community. It is more upbeat and exciting, making people more comfortable when it comes to expressing themselves. I found an interesting news headline that ‘today’ talks about. It not only mentions how TikTok allows trans people to identify themselves but also with different races which gives them so much confidence when using the platform. I feel TikTok gives people the spotlight to discuss inter-sectional issues that aren’t necessarily always talked about in mainstream media.
https://www.today.com/tmrw/how-transgender-nonbinary-creators-are-using-tiktok-inform-educate-t224068
In Australia, there is a lot of advocacy for the trans community with many supporting businesses that are accepting and willing to help the trans community. For example ‘QLife is a website that provides anonymous and free LGBTI support and referral for people in Australia who want to talk about anything involving sexuality, identity, gender, feeling, bodies etc. I found a website that shows some statistics to give you an idea of how supportive Australia is regarding the trans community. “78% of Australians agree that trans people deserve the same rights and protections as other Australians”. https://equalityaustralia.org.au/overwhelming-support-on-trans-equality/ I think women are more supportive when it comes to accepting the trans community and you hear a lot about protests in cities that is spread all over social media, so generally speaking, Australia is very accepting when comparing to other countries and I think social media plays an important role in advocating this.
Did you think Australia would be this accepting or did you think more/less? Would love to hear your opinion!
Thankyou,
Ciera
Hi Ciera,
Thank you for these insights about Australia ! Im so glad to have learnt more about this wonderful country with rich cultures and history.
The article form Today is an amazing one, thank you for sharing. I wished that journalists in Mauritius would also produce an informative piece of paper regrouping different perspectives; the content creator, the ‘consumer’, the one who identifies with the content, just as the one you share did. It would have been such a nice way to even more support the community, but since Mauritius is still a conservative country, I don’t think this topic will be appreciated as much as it is in Australia. I think its great to see all the efforts different stakeholders put in order to make the trans community feel at ease in Australia. As statistics from the report you shared show, Australians are really supportive towards the trans community not only on social media platforms, but also in real life with the access to health care and schools and I really wished this was the case in Mauritius.
Well, in my opinion, Australia is way ahead of Mauritius in pretty much every aspects, technology, economic and socio-cultural, so I was expecting this degree of freedom and support towards the trans community, and I’m gladly surprised that it is the case. I hope that other countries where the multiplicity of genders is still a taboo will take Australia as an example in the path of addressing every genders.
Thank you again,
Julie
Hi Marie,
Yeah! In terms of all of your mentioned aspects, Australia is indeed much far ahead comparing the two. I wonder if Mauritius had as large of a population as Australia, if Mauritians would be as supportive and advocate the LGBTI community as much as Australians do. I’m glad i gave you an insight about Australia!
Thanks for the debate!
Hi Julie,
This is an incredible and informative piece of writing. You have amazingly tackled such a sensational subject and it is great to learn how Tiktok is making an impact for the LGBTQI+ community. Your papier is very well structured and has a flow of ideas along with its facts especially in Mauritius. I really enjoyed reading your work and I have learned a lot through it. Sadly in Mauritius, the LGBTQI+ people are not given enough rights and they are often poorly viewed by the society. I truly wish in the forthcoming years, the transgender community are given more respect and there is a change in the mindsets.
Overall I really enjoyed reading your paper😍
Keep up the good work dear.
All the best
Hello Dhaivambal,
Thank you so much for your comment ! Happy that you found the paper informative.
Well as you said, sadly in Mauritius there is still much to be done for the trans community and the LGBTQI+ group at large to have equal rights as male and female. With some hope, may be institutions will not remain insensitive about the transgender community and parents will explain to their kids that we need to respect everyone in the same way, irrespective of gender, religion and origin.
Thank you again!
Best,
Julie
Hi Marie Julie,
Through your paper, which I find very interesting , I have learnt many expressions such as transgenderism, initialism and many more, I agree that a subject which was considered as a taboo before 2016, is no longer one nowadays through the social work of Tik Tok. The more something is seen the more it becomes normal and does not shock the sensibility . People sometimes look on the other side when seeing a person with a handicap.
What is your opinion if Tik Tok tackled more seriously the problems which handicapped people face in society ? Do you think that Tik Tok would have gained the same popularity if it had chosen that path ?
I have written some paragraphs about Afro textured hair and the issue around it , I would appreciate if you could read and share your opinion to me, here is the link https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/csm/999/the-natural-hair…ro-textured-hair/
Tatyanna
Hello Tatyanna,
Thank you for your comment and for having given my paper a read! I’m glad you learnt something out of it. I agree to your point, that as you see something more often it becomes more acceptable, but I also think we can get used to something without really paying attention and defending it, which is sad.
As a reply to your question, I believe TikTok would have definitely gained popularity, irrespective of the ‘path chosen’. There could have been an app, just like TikTok which could have tackled issues surrounding the LGBTQI+ community or people with disabilities, as you mentioned and still it would have been popular mainly because of the affordances of the platform. TikTok is so much a friendly app that anyone could use it and perform advocacy.
Secondly, I think TikTok is already ‘promoting’ for people with disabilities, I recall seeing informative videos about kids with disabilities showing their skills, be it in Mauritius or abroad. There are also many informative videos produced by NGOs and even doctors who explain about certain disabilities or diseases. Hope this replies your answers.
I will surely check your article, I already love your topic 🙂
Best,
Julie
Hello Julie,
Amazing paper! I believe that the topic of LGBTQIA+ representation is one which constantly requires more discussion, especially in Mauritius, so that it can be normalised. Though it is true that Mauritius is one of the more LGBTQ-friendly countries in Africa, as you said, we definitely still have long way to go before queer identities stop being discriminated against in society.
I believe that TikTok is a great means to start conversations on this topic. I hope that, as Jean-Luc said, it will open doors for more discussions on gender and sexuality in educational settings so that they can be normalised for future generations.
Once again, well done!
Hi Dina,
Thank you for spending time reading my paper, I appreciate. I totally agree on your point that there’s still a long way to go when it comes to ‘liberalizing’ trans identities in Mauritius. I really hope that there will be a time when trans people will feel at ease wherever they are in the. A I usually say, everyone deserves to be respected.
Well lets hope that our education system will cater for raising awareness on genders in the near future.
Thank you again.
Best,
Julie
Hi Julie,
It was refreshing to read a paper that discusses some of the positive effects of social media. Most of the papers I’ve read, including my own, focused on the more harmful and dangerous aspects of social media, so this was a nice change!
I completely agree that social media has opened a new door for self-representation and self-expression, especially since the introduction of TikTok. I, myself, have definitely learned a lot about the transgender community over the past few years through educational content on Instagram, Facebook, and perhaps most notably, Tik Tok.
There has definitely been a significant change in the mainstream portrayal of transgender people, especially in film and television, and I think this is, in large part, due to the online movement and advocacy for authentic transgender portrayals and the debunking of transgender stereotypes and misconceptions.
I would love to know what drew you to this fascinating topic, and if/why you think ongoing discussion around the topic of transgenderism is crucial. Do not feel that you have to answer those questions if they are too personal.
– Ella Jones 🙂
Hello Ella,
Thank you so much for having read my paper and left a comment. Indeed, I realise that social media has changed how we experience things and I told myself that I wanted to explore this angle, which is why I wrote on how TikTok has made representation and advocacy more easy.
Well I’m glad you asked this question. I believe what really brought me to discuss about this, is the hatred minority groups experience online and here I’m talking about every minority groups and I don’t think think they deserve this disrespect nor anyone out there, for expressing their true identity. In Mauritius, I saw how the LBGTQI+ community, particularly the trans people were victims of hate comments ; some saying that they should not even exist or they were created in a way, so why they want to change, there was even a protest years back by religious leaders in Mauritius against the Pride event (Find an article relating the event here: https://www.reuters.com/article/mauritius-lgbt-lawmaking-idUSL3N26L3D2 ).
Being witness of all these made me realize that Mauritius is not that ‘paradise island’ the media portrays and by keeping ongoing discussions about the representation of trans people and the LGBTQI+ community, I hope that they will be more respected and that Mauritians will realise that we need to respect one another irrespective of gender.
Thank you again for your comment Ella.
Best,
Julie
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your insight! I will definitely give that article a read.
– Ella Jones
Glad to have had this exchange with you Ella 🙂
Wish you all the best,
Julie
Hi Julie, I really love your paper, and i agree with you on all the points that you said. And yes with Tiktok algorithm, many people have learnt more about LGBTQ+ and what these people are living. Because before social media, these people was mostly hiding because they fear what people can say about them or what they can do. But in a country like Mauritius where it is known to be very conservative to you think that even with social media it can change something?. Because it reminds me of the gaypride that happened in Port-Louis where many homophobes have not let the LGBTQ+ community to walk on the street and at that time there was Facebook and Instagram but it had change nothing. Do you believe that if us “Mauritians” use more TikTok to talk about it, it will have a positive change?
In all and all it was a great well written paper
great Job!
Hello Jean Denis,
Thank you for reading my paper and for your comment. Well this is true, years back there was the gay pride event and I remember religious leaders protesting for the event to be cancelled. I also remember, there were speculations that the flashfloods which happened in March 2013, happened because of something related the LGBTQI+ community did (there are just rumors by the way). But you see, some Mauritians condemn the LGBTQI+ community while they are only people, they have the right to live and be respected.
Coming to your question, I believe that just talking about the trans people on social media will not be enough, but advocacy could help change things progressively. For example the videos of Fabrice Narainsamy on TikTok can help make transgenderism more acceptable in the Mauritian society. Also education is important. I think that if since primary school we start educating children about the different genders which exist, there will be a generation more accepting the trans community. What do you think ?
Hey Julie, I total agree with you when you say that even it primary level they must teach the students to respect all people as they are, because i remember when i was younger they says that being homosexual was a sickness, and they wanted to show that we must have pity of the the LGBT+ community but while i was growing i see that we must not have pity but to respect it, as it is normal but i an glad to see that in Mauritius it is not as before and that we will have a better tomorrow.
Hey Jean Denis,
Well this is the sad truth about our system back in time. I too heard these toward the LGBT+ community, but I remember my mother telling me that trans people, gays and lesbians are just human. Do you imagine if we grew up with this thinking that the trans community is just different from heterosexuals ?
Well as you said it, its nice to see that things have changed !
Thanks for your participation.
Julie
Hi Julie,
I really enjoyed reading your paper, it was very insightful and very it discusses a very important topic in a rather professional and informative manner so great job!
It was really interesting to read about this topic in regard to a country that isn’t Australia or America. Your discussion was really positive and it’s clear to see the ways that TikTok has been beneficial for the LGBTQI+ and transgenderism communities, I also think it was great how you clearly explain the differences between these two terms.
One thought I did have is while your discussion is based around TikTok do you think that Instagram also offers these same positive aspects or is the representation on Instagram rather different, specifically within Mauritius? Did this come up in your research at all? If so what are your thoughts?
Great job again!
– Kyla
Hello Kyla,
Thank you so much for your comment. Well I’m glad that you have been able to have the insight on the Mauritian society in my paper.
Well I did reseatch about Instagram being a platform for advocacy. In fact, there’s more research about Instagram promoting LGBTQI+ content than TikTok, since Instagram existed way before. During my research, I found that in fact Instagram could be used to engage in advocacy for the trans community which will also be effective with the help of the platform’s affordances. However, on TikTok we are more free in terms of the kind of videos we want to create; we have filters which we don’t have on Instagram, we can use nay song and create longer videos. I know that on Instagram we can also create longer videos for our feed, but in Mauritius this feature is not as developed as in other countries. For example, if I upload a reel on Instagram with a song which has a meaning to the trans community in an attempt to raise awareness, it can happen that Mauritians will not be able to hear the song because we still do not have that feature here, which is sad.
As we remove this option for creating content on Instagram, we are left with traditional posts which can have that educational purpose or which can also be a kind of blog, but it might be more difficult to retain attention on these types of content. As for stories which disappear after 24 hours, we can still save them as highlights, but content creators will have to remind followers time and again to check their highlight, which might also be more difficult to retain attention.
Also, I did came across the Instagram accounts of the TikTokers I mentioned in the discussion but their content differ. On Instagram I get the impression that they are more towards posting photos and do not really reach the intended audience, which confirms that I find TikTok as more appropriate.
Hi Marie,
Thank you for responding. That was really informative to read and I was completely unaware that the availability of Instagram features differs depending on where in the world you are. I don’t know much about TikTok and I don’t have the app myself but I’m really glad to hear that all of its features are available and that it can be used and accessed by all (if not most), especially for advocacy. I really agree with your final point, TikTok does seem to be much more appropriate for this.
Thanks again,
– Kyla
Hey Kyla,
Im glad to have had this exchange with you !
Wish you the best,
Julie
Hi Julie,
Yes I agree you can’t control how people will react, positively or negatively, to advocacy attempts. Although I believe that people expirience strength in numbers, so if marginalized indivuals have the capacity to create strong communities of support through social media perhaps the negative opions of others then impact them less?
Thanks,
Robyn
Hello Robyn,
Yes I totally agree to what you said. Unity makes strength as we say. However in Mauritius, there are no laws protecting the trans population or the different genders in general and there is a certain apprehension which prevents LGBTQI+ and trans gender people to create a strong community in real life, which is a sad fact. Although we can see that trans gender people are more and more showing their personalities online, some however hide themselves in real life for different reasons which might include their work or their families.
Best,
Julie
Hello Julie,
Such a great paper to read.
Really enjoyed it.
The discussion was very open minded especially when it concerns the LGBT. And as well as to see thet how Tiktok hss been a very big beneficts for that particular community. We define need such papers to share to people. As lots of information could be acquired from it. Again great work!
Hello Yorna,
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Indeed it takes lot of care to write about such a sensitive topic, because one word could harm a specific community. I really hope that people take into consideration the way they address the trans community on social media.
Thank you again.
Best,
Julie
Hey Marie, I enjoyed reading your paper. I agree with you on various points, especially that TikTok is a platform that gives minority groups the possibility to advocate and build up an online presence as a community online. Being a Mauritian myself, I know how people of the LGBTQ+ groups are often treated in Mauritius, and I am happy to see how this has helped the transgender group of Mauritius to find a platform to express themselves.
Thank you for your great paper.
Nada
Hello Nadarajan,
Thank you so much for having read my paper !
Best,
Julie
Hi Julie
What an incredible paper. It was a pleasure to read it – and it got me thinking about the ways in which digital infrastructure and social networking sites can lead to societal change.
TikTok has created huge trends that have impacted communities on a global scale. Do you think that this could lead to advocacy that see millions of people calling for change, and amplifying the voices of minority groups? With this kind of people power I could see legislation being drafted in direct consultation with the LGBTQIA+ community and political parties paying close attention.
Regards,
Taylah
Hey Taylah,
Thank you so much for having read my paper. Well as I was doing my research I came to the conclusion that indeed digital infrastructures are more powerful than I thought. I definitely think that TikTok as a platform holds the ability to promote trends relating to advocacy vis-a-vis minority groups. Being geographically apart does not mean a thing now that the Internet and social media platforms exists, so anywhere in the world if there is a new trend advocating for the rights of minority groups, the latter will definitely be able readapt and create something out of it, may be a bit later but they might be part of the advocacy campaign. As you said, if there’s people power, there will definitely be an impact on legislations, but only countries who really want to instil more respect towards the trans community will set up changes.
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Best,
Julie
Hi Julie, this is a great and powerful analysis on the lgbt+ and transgenderism. This paper can be an inspiration for other people as well as it is a sensitive topic this can help people to grow their knowledge.
Thank you for this amazing paper.
Devarajen.
Hi Marie,
I enjoyed reading your paper. I loved the analysis on trans people on the island. Alisha and Fabrice are doing a great job on educating the Mauritian audience about it and I believe more needs to be done for our trans community in Mauritius. Tiktok also removes a lot of their content, as people report it for inappropriate actions, which is quite unfair to them. I would also like to recommend you @NekoSheryl, she is a trans woman and an awesome person and cosplayer from our little island. She is also doing her best to educate Mauritians on the LGBTQA+ community.
Cheers!