University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

User Response to Facebook's Custom Gender Options

Haimson, Oliver L.; Brubaker, Jed R.; Loder, Courtney; Dombrowski, Lynn; Hayes, Gillian R.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/73701

Description

Title
User Response to Facebook's Custom Gender Options
Author(s)
  • Haimson, Oliver L.
  • Brubaker, Jed R.
  • Loder, Courtney
  • Dombrowski, Lynn
  • Hayes, Gillian R.
Issue Date
2015-03-15
Keyword(s)
  • social media
  • social computing
Abstract
Facebook’s recent implementation of “custom” gender options and gender-neutral pronouns provided transgender and gender-non-conforming users with new ways to represent gender identity online. We analyze user response to and use of these affordances. We found that while many transgender and gender non-conforming Facebook users used and appreciated the new options for gender representation, the system still constrained self-presentation for some. Additionally, use of custom gender options complicated gender identity disclosure for many participants. Results highlight tensions around the ability of classification systems to categorize identities.
Publisher
iSchools
Series/Report Name or Number
iConference 2015 Proceedings
Type of Resource
text
Language
English
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73701
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2015 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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