Health literacy, although diversely defined, refers to the abilities, relationships and external environmentsrequired for people to successfully promote health. Existing research suggests that health literacy is related to health inequities, including individual and community capacity to navigate health. A diverse range of factors shape health literacy abilities and environments, especially culture, gender and age. However, the nexus between these variables and their cumulative impact on health literacy development remains largely unexplored. Commentary that explores these dynamics among young Indigenous males is particularly scant. In turn, strategies to bridge health equity gaps have been obscured. This article brings together disparate research on health literacy, masculinities, youth studies and men’s health in order to address this oversight. By outlining the collective conceptual contribution of these strands of scholarship, we show that young Indigenous males navigate health literacy through a complex cultural interface that balances both Western and Indigenous understandings of health. Alternative masculine identities, which simultaneously embrace and resist components of hegemonic masculinity, also shape this health literacy lens. We explain that the development of health literacy is important for young people, particularly young Indigenous males, and that this is negotiated in tandem with external support structures, including family and friends. By describing these intersections, we explore the implications for researchers, policymakers and practitioners seeking to achieve the dual goal of improving health literacy and reducing health inequi-ties among this highly marginalised population.

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The prolific growth of social media in recent years has provided new forums which allow engagement in local town discussions; particularly via community Facebook groups. This study seeks to understand the role of community Facebook groups in a regional town in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia; particularly how they are used to portray youth, and their relevance to a grassroots youth justice reinvestment process. This research arose due to direct concern from a community working group. Seventeen semi-structured interviews, with 18 participants, were conducted with service providers in Katherine, NT. The data was then inductively thematically analyzed, resulting in six themes: staying informed in a regional context; vilifying youth and combating this; racism; impact on youth; tensions in positioning youth: right versus left; and adopting a strengths-based approach to youth. Community Facebook groups were noted as an important factor for staying informed in a remote context. As a key medium within the town, Facebook groups should be considered a source of community discussion and an appropriate avenue to influence community opinion. The racialization of community discussions about “problem youth” indicates a segregation issue in the town, which has been noted for many years. Community education and the promotion of the youth justice work currently being implemented in the town were considered key in changing mindsets and ultimately behaviors. Importantly, research and community development programs alike should consider the community Facebook group as a medium for positive social action.

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