LGBTQ+ Youth Media Use Patterns by Age

[Dr. Shelley Craig]: So what we found in terms of the effect of social media in LGBT youth, we do find that there are differences in age. So LGBT youth are significantly involved, both as producers and consumers of digital media, but younger adolescents are more likely to use social media for emotional support, entertainment and access to LGBT information. Older youth are more likely to use to access general education. And we do find there’s increased use and increased benefit for youth that are particularly isolated. But yet, the use of technology, and social media in particular, has helped LGBT youth experience greater self-acceptance. So we understand that could be a little bit of a controversial finding for some folks, but that’s really, I think, about what they’re not getting in many cases offline, in addition to what they are receiving online. Because not all LGBT youth live in affirming homes and community environments. And online spaces, this is important to remember, they don’t create but they reflect the structural discrimination.