A qualitative exploration of information and communication technology use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer emerging adult migrants before and after arrival in the United States
Alessi, E. J., Cheung, S., Dentato, M. P., Eaton, A., & Craig, S. L. (2022). A qualitative exploration of information and communication technology use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer emerging adult migrants before and after arrival in the United States. Emerging Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968221087072.
Highlights
Background
A growing body of research points to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to facilitate LGBTQ+ emerging adult development and international migration
Despite this, few studies have examined pre- and post-migration ICT use among LGBTQ+ emerging adult migrants
Study Description
This constructivist grounded theory study used online interviews to explore the experiences of a diverse group of LGBTQ+ migrants (n = 37, ages 20-25) in order to understand their integration into the United States during the critical development stage of emerging adulthood
The two research questions guiding the study were:
How do LGBTQ+ emerging adult migrants in the United States describe and understanding their use of ICTs during pre- and post-migration?
How do ICTs shape the integration of LGBTQ+ emerging adult migrants?
The study began with participants completing a short questionnaire to gather demographic information and the social media platforms they used. After completing questionnaires, participants took part in a semi-structured interview conducted via Zoom
Key Findings
Four themes emerged in the data:
In and Out: Balancing Identity Exploration with Identity Concealment when Using Information and Communication Technologies in the Country of Origin
Relying on Information and Communication Technologies to Prepare for Migration to the United States
Using Information and Communication Technologies to Find Housing, Work, and Friends in the United States
Drawbacks of Using Information Technologies in the United States
ICTs were found to facilitate identity development and ease integration into the United States but exposed participants to harassment, victimization, and scams
While most ICT users may worry about fraud victimization, vulnerable individuals who might be struggling to meet basic needs or who are in need of finding housing or employment quickly, including LGBTQ+ migrants, may be more susceptible to fraud victimization
Conclusions
Scholars may rethink how they conceptualize migration for LGBTQ+ emerging adults and other diverse groups; our findings suggest that we cannot understand migration without closely looking at how ICTs impact this process
While ICTs did not resolve all the challenges that typically come with integration, they were helpful for identifying social connections and influencing makers and means (i.e., employment, housing, and education)
Future studies might benefit from larger, quantitative samples of LGBTQ+ emerging adult migrants to test associations between the core domains of integration and to determine whether various types of social connections mediate the relationship between markers and means (employment, housing, health, and education) and facilitators (Language, cultural knowledge, safety, and stability)
