Transgender community resilience on YouTube: Constructing an informational, emotional, and sociorelational support exchange

Abstract

This strength‐based, mixed‐methods study explored how trans individuals utilize transvlogs as a community building and resilience resource. Eighty‐six transvlog viewers explained their motivation for viewing transvlogs and additionally rated their self‐efficacy and well‐being. Narrative analyses indicate that participants viewed transvlogs to gain informational, emotional, and sociorelational resources. Twelve percent of participants additionally shared those resources with others and contributed to a relational resilience exchange. In addition, transvlog viewers' self‐efficacy and well‐being scores were higher than previously reported means. While prior research has noted the benefits of transvlog creation, the present study furthers this study by suggesting that transvlog viewers interactionally benefit as well. Participants in this study were not passive viewers, but rather active, agentive contributors to a trans community resilience exchange. Building on this study, we conclude with a discussion of how therapists can incorporate extant trans‐created resources to foster trans community resilience.

Examining Resilience and its Role in Positive Psychological Outcomes

“…The favorable correlation between resilience and happiness found in this study also reflects results from earlier studies (Rothbaum et al, 2022). Positive emotions are frequently more easily experienced by resilient people, which adds to their overall happiness and subjective well-being.…”

Examining Social Media Experiences and Attitudes Toward Technology-Based Interventions for Reducing Social Isolation Among LGBTQ Youth Living in Rural United States: An Online Qualitative Study

“…and these mental health disparities are even larger compared to urbanliving peers (13,14). Community resilience, community support, and community connectedness protect against social isolation and negative mental health outcomes and could motivate LGBTQ youth to engage in online communities (15,16,(56)(57)(58). However, those resources might not be as available to LGBTQ youth in rural areas, where close-knit communities value familiarity and sameness (17,18).…”

Support over Social Media among Socially Isolated Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Rural U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities for Intervention Research

“…SGM youth are those whose sexual orientation includes attraction towards same-gender people and/or whose gender identity is different than their assigned sex at birth [ 12 ], and are at higher risk of social isolation than their non-SGM peers, especially SGM youth living in rural areas. While community-related resilience, support, and connectedness protect against social isolation [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ], in these close-knit communities, familiarity and sameness are valued and obtaining support, resources, and finding connectedness can be difficult for SGM youth, whose identities do not conform with the prevailing cultural and social norms in rural communities [ 18 , 19 ]. This, combined with the geographic isolation of many rural communities and COVID-19 lockdowns, created a compounded situation of isolation for rural SGM youth, impacting their ability to seek and find support within an already difficult physical environment.…”