Week 9_Joshua Liu_ASA 114

Daniel Tsang's "Notes on Queer 'N Asian Virtual Sex" discusses how the increased access to communication through cyberspace can affect the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community. Specifically, he discusses how the relaying of information through online Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) affect the Asian LGBTQIA+ experience. For example, Tsang writes about how the anonymity provided by the BBS system has allowed people to reconstruct their sexual orientation, as well as their racial or ethnic identity. This helps people explore their identity without fear of repercussions in real life, where coming out may be looked down upon. While these BBS websites usually have age restrictions, people can simply lie about their age to gain access to the forums. I am curious if this has an overall positive or negative effect on people. Does gaining access to this information at a younger age help Asians who are confused about their sexual orientation/identity gain clarity, or does it perhaps cause some sort of detrimental effect?