No abstract

In the United States, LGBTQ+ individuals are often imagined as inherently politically progressive, but this assumption overlooks the experiences of self-identified LGBTQ+ conservatives. Likewise, although social media platforms are recognized as spaces of identity and community production for LGBTQ+ people generally, less work has considered how they provide a similar forum for “gayservatives.” In response, this article engages in a critical discourse analysis of LGBTQ+-oriented groups on the far right social media platform Gab. Results indicate that far right social media is utilized to connect with other politically similar LGBTQ+ individuals perceived to be absent in one’s offline community. Participants do so via discourses that both regulate and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities, particularly as it relates to hegemonic masculinity. These strategies generally reinforce, but at times reframe, stereotypical narratives about LGBTQ+ individuals. This study provides groundwork for more nuanced understandings of both LGBTQ+ conservatives and the ways power is socialized and embodied through discourses about sexual and gender identities.

The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) that plagued the world in 2020 also brought with it the need to rapidly disseminate information to the public to encourage health-related behavior change. This study examines Covid-19-related Twitter messaging disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization from February 29 to September 22, 2020. The research examined tweets from four constructed weeks, with the first 2 weeks representing days prior to President Donald Trump’s announcement of U.S. withdrawal from WHO, and the second 2-week period after the announcement. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical foundation for this study. Frequencies and chi-square analyses revealed less of an overall focus on barriers but no significant differences in messages for tweets related to consequences, benefits, and barriers. Significant differences ( p < .01) were found in engagement messaging for the second 2-week period.