Queer influencers are people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) and have become popular online through their work in social media, blogging, vlogging, podcasting, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch, OnlyFans, Patreon, or similar platforms. They are known for posting about their lives, sharing personal stories, giving advice, reviewing products, creating art, performing comedy, demonstrating makeup tutorials, and selling goods such as clothing, books, courses, merchandise, services, subscriptions, or memberships. Queer influencers may be affiliated with one or more companies that pay them to advertise their products, sponsor their content, or provide support. Some of these companies may target LGBTQ audiences, while others may be non-LGBTQ brands seeking to increase their sales to this demographic.
Some queer influencers choose to remain independent and self-employed, avoiding traditional advertising deals and instead monetizing their content through membership fees, donations, crowdfunding, tips, and other forms of direct payment from followers.
The visibility of queer influencers has grown rapidly since the beginning of the twenty-first century. In 2019, Google reported that searches for "queer" had increased by 87% over the previous year, and "transgender" had doubled in searches between January and June compared to the same period in 2018. This growth was largely driven by Gen Z internet users who identified as LGBTQ. Many of these younger viewers were drawn to social media and digital content creation because they found it a safer space than mainstream television, film, music, and print publications, which often portrayed cisgender heterosexual white men as the default humans. The rise of transgender people like Laverne Cox and Ruby Rose on Netflix's Orange is the New Black and Dylan O'Brien's character Stiles on MTV's Teen Wolf helped make transgender representation more common on popular media platforms such as streaming services and cable networks.
Visibility for queer influencers requires them to balance competing interests: they must attract enough attention and subscribers to earn income from online activities while also maintaining control over how much information about themselves they share with strangers. Some queer influencers have chosen to remain anonymous or use pseudonyms, while others have shared personal details such as their names, locations, genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, and relationships openly. Some may create multiple channels for different audiences (e.g., family-friendly versus adult), while others may post content that blurs lines between private life and public persona. They may choose to focus solely on one topic (such as beauty) or cover a wide range of subjects (including politics, religion, self-care, food). In addition to creating original content, many queer influencers participate in challenges and trends initiated by other creators or popular figures.
Queer influencers face a complex set of ethical dilemmas when making decisions about visibility. On one hand, they want to build loyal followings who feel comfortable sharing their lives, thoughts, feelings, opinions, and experiences. At the same time, they must ensure their privacy remains intact to avoid stalkers, trolls, harassment, doxing, and other threats that could damage their careers and personal safety. To this end, some queer influencers may avoid posting any photos showing their faces or bodies, limit interactions with fans, and carefully curate their social media feeds. Others may engage more fully with viewers through live streams, meetups, events, merchandise sales, and other forms of direct interaction.
The capitalist digital ecosystem presents further challenges for queer influencers seeking to navigate ethics of visibility. Companies pay them to promote products or services they might not use themselves but know will appeal to LGBTQ audiences.
Makeup brands such as CoverGirl and Maybelline have hired transgender models to appear in advertisements targeting both straight and non-binary consumers. Influencers are paid to share sponsored posts or reviews about these companies' products without disclosing whether they actually like them. Some may be asked to pose provocatively on camera while wearing clothes made by specific designers or using branded items during filming sessions. Other corporations provide financial support for social justice causes popular among LGBTQ viewers (such as marriage equality) without acknowledging how their business practices harm workers or the environment. Queer influencers must decide whether to accept deals from these companies despite moral qualms about their behavior.
Despite these dilemmas, many queer influencers continue to build large followings based on authenticity, creativity, and honesty. They can create content that resonates deeply with LGBTQ audiences who feel marginalized in mainstream culture. By sharing stories about their lives, experiences, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, queer influencers help normalize LGBTQ identities online and encourage others to embrace their own unique sexualities, gender expressions, relationships, and desires. As long as they remain committed to ethical standards that protect privacy and autonomy while promoting inclusivity and representation, queer influencers have a bright future in capitalist digital ecosystems.
How do queer influencers navigate the ethics of visibility in capitalist digital ecosystems?
Queer influencers have been navigating the ethics of visibility in capitalist digital ecosystems by creating content that highlights their authentic selves and experiences while also promoting products and brands that align with their values and beliefs. They are strategic about which platforms they choose to use and how they engage with their followers, recognizing the power dynamics at play.