On the Internet, How Will People Know I am a Dog?: Queer Aesthetics in the Digital Age

Abstract

Starting in the 1990s, the LGBT community has been identified more and more frequently as a profitable consumer demographic. In response to this increased commercialization of the LGBT community, many young queer people have taken to social media to define what is “real” gay culture and what is “commodified queerness.” Commonly referred to as “rainbow capitalism,” this phenomenon is frequently controversial and criticized for being exploitative, inauthentic, or just plain tacky. This paper examines how and why “authentic” queer identity is created and policed on social media through aesthetic and commodity signifiers and the broader implications this manufactured ideal of “authentic” queerness has for the LGBT community. An analysis of video content on social media platforms TikTok and Youtube, supported by critical work on commodity culture, queerness, and subcultures, shows that though this queer aesthetic was formed in opposition to commodified queerness, it still boils down to a set of consumer practices that brands and influencers can use to sell this “authentic” queerness back to them.