LGBTQ+ youth are finding meaningful connections through social media and parasocial relationships. YPulse has reported on LGBTQ+ youth’s connection to social media as a space for community—but sometimes, they seem to feel as much connection to creators or celebs they don’t know personally, too. A study by Hopelab found that social media and parasocial relationships are important for LGBTQ+ youth (13-22-years-old), even helping them feel a sense of purpose. Messages of support coming from their favorite public figures and creators has been especially important for transgender youth: 62% say they felt strong support from these figures, which led to feeling proud of their identity. However, LGBTQ+ youth have mixed opinions about using AI chatbots for advice (just because it’s virtual doesn’t mean it’s the same!), with opinions fairly evenly split between trans and nonbinary youth and their cisgender peers. (Fast Company)
📊 YPulse data: 34% of LGBTQ+ 13-39-year-olds use social media for finding like minded-people / groups
