Youth Intimacy on Tumblr

Abstract

I examine young people's intimate relationships formed on Tumblr. Research has extensively documented how and why adults utilize online dating services to articulate relationships online; however, scholars of this phenomenon have largely overlooked the lived experiences of young people. This article presents the initial findings of a qualitative pilot study in which 10 young male and female Tumblr users participated in hour-long, in-depth, semi-structured, synchronous online interviews via Skype. The initial findings generated by the pilot study suggest that young people are engaging online technologies to practice intimacy and sociality in diverse ways. Responses suggest that young people conceptualize Tumblr as being distinct from existing social network sites (SNS) as a result of its perceived affordances. I conclude that the ways in which young people engage and date and socialize on Tumblr suggest a rethinking of established contemporary notions of intimacy and community in the digital era.

Social Media Contributions to Strong Black Woman Ideal Endorsement and Black Women’s Mental Health

“…However, Twitter was not a significant correlate of any well-being outcomes. Often, Tumblr is a platform that fosters a sense of virtual collectiveness and solidarity among marginalized communities (Hart, 2015). However, whereas Tumblr promotes a unified space for users to seek support and visibility (Gonzalez-Polledo & Tarr, 2014), it can also facilitate conversations rooted in the expression of pain that may diminish users’ mental health and well-being.…”

The self—harmed, visualized, and reblogged: Remaking of self-injury narratives on Tumblr

“…Such a relatively “asocial” affordance of Tumblr has made it particularly conducive to performing non-normative subjectivities. Some marginalized groups for whom Tumblr serves a prominent venue include NSFW (Not Safe/Suitable For Work) content uploaders (Tiidenberg and Gómez Cruz, 2015), LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) community (Cho, 2015; Fink and Miller, 2013), asexual community (Renninger, 2015), and alienated youth (Hart, 2015) who prefer to keep some aspects of their identities invisible from friends, families, co-workers, or employers.…”

Forming connections in the digital era: Tinder, a new tool in young Australian intimate life

“…(Matthew,24) Matthew's description also demonstrates the way interviewees tended to emphasise the supplementary nature of Tinder in this aspect of their intimate lives. Emphasis could reflect continued stigma attached to digital social media (see Couch and Liamputtong, 2008;Hart, 2015), or more specifically Tinder, in this area of social life. While Matthew does not appear to perceive space provided by Tinder in the same way as that found in face-to-face settings, his belief that activity on Tinder could contribute to 'normal life' illustrates the connection that now exists between the digital and physical, and consequently, the existence of an augmented reality (see Jurgenson, 2012).…”

“…Even when non-sexual intimate connections were established, these were not necessarily viewed and/or treated in the same way as those developed face-to-face by those outside, or within the relationship (Race, 2015). While Ellison et al (2006) describe a decrease in stigma attached to ICT use when developing intimate connections and the resulting connections themselves, studies conducted by Race (2015), Couch and Liamputtong (2008) and Hart (2015) suggest that stigma continues to surround online dating forms.…”