Journal 12 New Media in Queer Asia

A01

In New Media in Queer Asia, Sandip Roy talks about the South Asian GLBT community on the internet. Sandip talks about the importance of Gay forums and networking websites to South Asians. Since GLBT is still not widely accepted in these countries, these internet communities are very important because it can create a sense of belonging and comfort. Sandip also talks about the internet as a Safe space, which I completely agree upon. I often feel the freedom the express myself on the internet without the fear of being judged or targeted. To the South Asian GLBT community, the internet safe spaces allow them to express themselves, where they probably couldn’t do publicly without worrying about their safety. Sandip also mentions how the internet can be a double-edged sword, like the digital divide where only the people who have access to the internet can receive the benefits. This is a concern because in many Asian countries, not everyone has computer and internet access.