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Livejournal: Difference between revisions
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Livejournal is a social media platform centered around journaling created in 1999. Users can upload entries to their personal journals, follow other users' journals, and make and receive comments on individual entries. The site also allows users to create and join "communities", which generally allow members to upload their own entries and serve as hubs for discussion of shared interests. | Livejournal is a social media platform centered around journaling created in 1999. Users can upload entries to their personal journals, follow other users' journals, and make and receive comments on individual entries. The site also allows users to create and join "communities", which generally allow members to upload their own entries and serve as hubs for discussion of shared interests. | ||
Livejournal was one of the biggest online platforms for trans youth in the 2000s, and the first known Livejournal communities with a [[nonbinary]] focus appeared in 2002.<ref>Dame-Griff, Avery. ''The Two Revolutionsː A History of the Transgender Internet.'' New York, New York University Press. 2023.</ref> Nonbinary people also participated in some general trans communities, such as a community for "FTMs".<ref name=":3">Zimman, Lal, and Hayworth, Will. "Lexical Change as Sociopolitical Change in Trans and Cis Identity Labels: New Methods for the Corpus Analysis of Internet Data". ''Selected Papers from New Ways of Analyzing Variation (NWAV 47)''. January 15 2020. https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/45253</ref> | |||
Trans scholar Cassius Adair views the social networks of queer and trans young people that formed on Livejournal as a precursor to | Trans scholar Cassius Adair views the social networks of queer and trans young people that formed on Livejournal as a precursor to nonbinary and [[transmasculine]] networking on [[Tumblr]].<ref>Adair, Cassius. "Delete Yr Account: Speculations on Trans Digital Lives and the Anti-Archival, Part I: Are You Sure?". Digital Research Ethics Collaboratory. 2019.</ref> Linguistic researchers Zimman and Hayworth express a similar view.<ref name=":3" /> | ||
== Non-binary Communities == | == Non-binary Communities == | ||
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[[File:Genderqueericon.jpg|alt=Male and female symbols similar to standard restroom signs; the words "screw gender" appear between them.|thumb|Icon for the genderqueer Livejournal community. ]] | [[File:Genderqueericon.jpg|alt=Male and female symbols similar to standard restroom signs; the words "screw gender" appear between them.|thumb|Icon for the genderqueer Livejournal community. ]] | ||
In 2002, users created a community called "genderqueer", offering a broad definition of genderqueerness:<ref name=":0">"Profile". Genderqueer Livejournal community. https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/profile/</ref><blockquote>This community is for those of us who don't feel we fit the binary gender system in use by most of society. [[Agender|Ungendered]], many gendered, a gender other than the one society thinks you should be? Do you express your gender(s) in nontraditional ways? You just might fit in here!</blockquote>As of 2024, the community had 2,036 members and 4,030 journal entries, making it relatively popular among non-binary communities on Livejournal. Throughout 2007, the community generally received at least one post per day.<ref>2007 archive of genderqueer. https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/2007/</ref> | In 2002, users created a community called "genderqueer", offering a broad definition of genderqueerness:<ref name=":0">"Profile". Genderqueer Livejournal community. https://web.archive.org/web/20250626190655/https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/profile/</ref><blockquote>This community is for those of us who don't feel we fit the binary gender system in use by most of society. [[Agender|Ungendered]], many gendered, a gender other than the one society thinks you should be? Do you express your gender(s) in nontraditional ways? You just might fit in here!</blockquote>As of 2024, the community had 2,036 members and 4,030 journal entries, making it relatively popular among non-binary communities on Livejournal. Throughout 2007, the community generally received at least one post per day.<ref>2007 archive of genderqueer. https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/2007/{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | ||
Members used the community to introduce themselves, ask for information and advice related to gender identity and expression, and to inquire about other genderqueer people in their area. | Members used the community to introduce themselves, ask for information and advice related to gender identity and expression, and to inquire about other genderqueer people in their area. | ||
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A linguistic analysis of journal entries and comments from the community suggested that the most common term for a person outside the binary was "[[genderqueer]]", followed by "[[genderfuck]]". "[[Bigender]]", "[[genderfluid]]", "[[polygender]]", and "[[agender]]" also appeared in the dataset (listed here in descending order of popularity).<ref name=":4">Zimman, Lal, and Hayworth, Will. "How we got here: Short-scale change in identity labels for trans, cis, and non-binary people in the 2000s". 2020. Proc Ling Soc Amer 5(1). 499–513. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v5i1.4728</nowiki></ref> | A linguistic analysis of journal entries and comments from the community suggested that the most common term for a person outside the binary was "[[genderqueer]]", followed by "[[genderfuck]]". "[[Bigender]]", "[[genderfluid]]", "[[polygender]]", and "[[agender]]" also appeared in the dataset (listed here in descending order of popularity).<ref name=":4">Zimman, Lal, and Hayworth, Will. "How we got here: Short-scale change in identity labels for trans, cis, and non-binary people in the 2000s". 2020. Proc Ling Soc Amer 5(1). 499–513. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v5i1.4728</nowiki></ref> | ||
Gender neutral language was a recurring topic of discussion. In 2008, user hundun advocated for the use of singular they, arguing that objections stemmed from linguistic prescriptivism and inviting others to join them in using it going forward, even if some people may find it awkward.<ref>hundun. "Anyone up for a little cultural change?". Genderqueer Livejournal community. January 12 2008. https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/985013.html</ref> Users generally agreed with hundun's pro-singular they position; however, user montrealais found hundun's use of singular verb forms ("they is") in examples unnecessary, pointing out that "you are" sounds perfectly natural.<ref>montrealais. Comment on "Anyone up for a little cultural change?", Genderqueer livejournal community, January 13 2008.https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/985013.html?thread=8230837#t8230837</ref> | Gender neutral language was a recurring topic of discussion. In 2008, user hundun advocated for the use of singular they, arguing that objections stemmed from linguistic prescriptivism and inviting others to join them in using it going forward, even if some people may find it awkward.<ref>hundun. "Anyone up for a little cultural change?". Genderqueer Livejournal community. January 12 2008. https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/985013.html{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Users generally agreed with hundun's pro-singular they position; however, user montrealais found hundun's use of singular verb forms ("they is") in examples unnecessary, pointing out that "you are" sounds perfectly natural.<ref>montrealais. Comment on "Anyone up for a little cultural change?", Genderqueer livejournal community, January 13 2008.https://genderqueer.livejournal.com/985013.html?thread=8230837#t8230837</ref> | ||
Many posts also promoted events, communities, calls to action, and writing they saw as relevant to a genderqueer audience. The most recent post was in January 2017. | Many posts also promoted events, communities, calls to action, and writing they saw as relevant to a genderqueer audience. The most recent post was in January 2017. | ||
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[[File:Birls.gif|alt=Animated icon flashes between different pictures of birls, and a logo on a greenish-teal background. All of the birls are youthful and have short masculine haircuts.|thumb|The icon for the birls community.]] | [[File:Birls.gif|alt=Animated icon flashes between different pictures of birls, and a logo on a greenish-teal background. All of the birls are youthful and have short masculine haircuts.|thumb|The icon for the birls community.]] | ||
In 2003, livejournal user back_to_or created a community called [[Birl|birls]], explaining its audience in the userinfoː<ref>"Userinfo". Birls Livejournal community. https://birls.livejournal.com/profile/ </ref><blockquote>Welcome to birls - | In 2003, livejournal user back_to_or created a community called [[Birl|birls]], explaining its audience in the userinfoː<ref>"Userinfo". Birls Livejournal community. https://web.archive.org/web/20250824014451/https://birls.livejournal.com/profile/</ref><blockquote>Welcome to birls - | ||
a community dedicated to androgynous/boyish/masculine females and those who don't let the stereotypes surrounding their sex define who they are. | a community dedicated to androgynous/boyish/masculine females and those who don't let the stereotypes surrounding their sex define who they are. | ||
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As of 2025, the community had 3003 members and 25,450 journal entries.<ref name=":5" /> | As of 2025, the community had 3003 members and 25,450 journal entries.<ref name=":5" /> | ||
A linguistic analysis of entries and comments conducted by Lal Zimman and Will Hayworth suggests that "genderqueer" was the most popular term in this community for people outside the binary, followed by "genderfuck".<ref name=":3" /> Another paper by Zimman and Hayworth asserts that "non-binary" overtook "genderqueer" and became the most common term in around 2007.<ref name=":4" /> | A linguistic analysis of entries and comments conducted by Lal Zimman and Will Hayworth suggests that "genderqueer" was the most popular term in this community for people outside the binary, followed by "genderfuck".<ref name=":3" /> Another paper by Zimman and Hayworth asserts that "non-binary" overtook "genderqueer" and became the most common term in this space around 2007.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
"Agender", "bigender", "polygender", and "genderfluid" also appear in the dataset from the ftm community.<ref name=":3" /> "Polygender", the least-used term, appeared only in early years, while "agender" (another uncommon term) showed up more often in later years.<ref name=":4" /> | "Agender", "bigender", "polygender", and "genderfluid" also appear in the dataset from the ftm community.<ref name=":3" /> "Polygender", the least-used term, appeared only in early years, while "agender" (another uncommon term) showed up more often in later years.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
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https://synecdochic.dreamwidth.org/366609.html?thread=16648977#cmt16648977</ref> | https://synecdochic.dreamwidth.org/366609.html?thread=16648977#cmt16648977</ref> | ||
In response to a post on the queer̠rage community decrying Livejournal's decision, auburnamnesia remarked that "discriminating against a large portion of your userbase in order to get teh ad revenues is NOT good business practice".<ref>auburnamnesia. Comment on "oh, lj", queer̠rage Livejournal community. December 15th, 2009. https://queer-rage.livejournal.com/1404843.html?thread=16327851#t16327851 | In response to a post on the queer̠rage community decrying Livejournal's decision, auburnamnesia remarked that "discriminating against a large portion of your userbase in order to get teh ad revenues is NOT good business practice".<ref>auburnamnesia. Comment on "oh, lj", queer̠rage Livejournal community. December 15th, 2009. https://queer-rage.livejournal.com/1404843.html?thread=16327851#t16327851{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> raenbow expressed a general opposition to limiting users to a ""drop down box' list of choices for gender" and asserted that "[n]ot everyone is male or female".<ref>raenbow. Comment on "oh, lj" on queer̠rage Livejournal community. https://queer-rage.livejournal.com/1404843.html?thread=16329387#t16329387{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | ||
synecdochic posted a call to action on Dreamwidth, asking other disgruntled users to change their gender fields to "Unspecified" and to contact Livejournal to make their disapproval known.<ref name=":2">synecdochic. "wow. just .... wow." December 14 2009.https://synecdochic.dreamwidth.org/366609.html</ref> She argued that implementing a mandatory, binary gender field was oppressive towards transgender and genderqueer people, and noted that genderqueer users had already advocated expanding gender options to include "Other". Her post received 332 comments.<ref name=":2" /> | synecdochic posted a call to action on Dreamwidth, asking other disgruntled users to change their gender fields to "Unspecified" and to contact Livejournal to make their disapproval known.<ref name=":2">synecdochic. "wow. just .... wow." December 14 2009.https://synecdochic.dreamwidth.org/366609.html</ref> She argued that implementing a mandatory, binary gender field was oppressive towards transgender and genderqueer people, and noted that genderqueer users had already advocated expanding gender options to include "Other". Her post received 332 comments.<ref name=":2" /> | ||
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In response to this community pushback, Livejournal staff clarified that they understood gender was not binary and announced that they had dropped their plans to change the sign-up process.<ref name=":1">LiveJournal Community Care Team. Quoted by montrealais. queer | In response to this community pushback, Livejournal staff clarified that they understood gender was not binary and announced that they had dropped their plans to change the sign-up process.<ref name=":1">LiveJournal Community Care Team. Quoted by montrealais. queer | ||
̠rage community. December 15th, 2009'''.''' https://queer-rage.livejournal.com/1404843.html?thread=16331691#t16331691</ref> | ̠rage community. December 15th, 2009'''.''' https://queer-rage.livejournal.com/1404843.html?thread=16331691#t16331691{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | ||
== Works Cited == | == Works Cited == | ||