The Web We Weave

The World Wide Web was aptly named it fingers reach into every part of our lives.

Transgender and non-binary communities online: 'Thank God for Wikipedia and Google'PennLive
By Kari
November 17, 2015

When we asked transgender and non-binary readers to share information about their lives in central Pennsylvania and beyond, the internet figured crucially into many responses, particularly when it came to readers' initial awareness of transgender people as well as seeking support and resources.

Of the readers that submitted answers to our survey, 81% reported that they are out on the internet – and for some, that is because transgender people are not visible in the community where they live, Nef said. "I have found support on the internet," wrote Lys, a 30-year-old transgender man from outside central Pennsylvania. "There is a strong community of trans people there. There is not much community support I can access in Beaver County."
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In some cases, transgender visibility within a community can yield hostile responses, and the internet can provide a comparatively safer space for exploration. Avacyn, a 21-year-old non-binary person from Cumberland County, first became aware of transgender and non-binary people as a young teenager. "I'm pretty sure the first time I heard anything that wasn't derogatory was on an internet forum," Avacyn wrote. "I have a small group of friends online that I feel safe talking to about this. I haven't heard of anything in my [offline] community where I could go to talk my problems out."

For me the first time that I became aware of the trans community was at work we had just gotten PC connected to the Internet (back then the internet was always spelled with a capital “I”) and my boss asked my boss asked me to search the internet for a replacement transformer. The old search engines back then were Lycos, AltaVista, and Excite and they weren’t very good, so some of the websites that they listed were not for electrical transformers but they also had trans websites listed. And that was my first exposure to the trans community. My first blog was on GeoCities in 2000 and then I switched to Blogger in 2006.

Online communities also can connect transgender and non-binary people to local resources. "Recently I have become aware of several groups online – some of them local," wrote Karen Leigh, a 72-year-old transgender woman from Lancaster County, "which gather regularly to socialize and discuss issues."

Now most of the inquiries I get are through the CT TransAdvocacy Coalition’s website, they either call or fill out the “Contact Us” form.

And then there is Facebook,

No site was mentioned more by readers than Facebook.

"Facebook has been amazing for finding support online," wrote Julia, a transgender woman from outside central Pennsylvania. "It brings people together in ways that I could only have dreamed of years ago.

"I love being friends with people on there and seeing stories of what it's like being trans in different parts of America and the world. If I ever have any issues, I can post, and have people who understand me respond. Plus, some of my cisgender friends have told me that they have a much better understanding of our community through me and my friends on Facebook. That in itself is a wonderful education tool. If we left education about the trans community up to the schools and media, they'd all think we're sex-crazed maniacs out to get your children and make ourselves look like freaks."

(Note: A "cisgender" person is a person whose gender identity corresponds with the gender they were identified as at birth.)

Does the internet do away with the need to a face-to-face contact with people? What are the future of support groups? Do the young kids coming need support groups or will they just fade away as the current members age out?