"live journal"

            Blogging for young adolescents girls is somewhat of a new phenomenon. These online communities have developed in recent years that provide a forum for people to go on and voice their opinions and see the thoughts of others in their peer group or of others that share the same interests. These communities have an impact on young females because it is a place where, whether they know it or not, they can develop their identity and express themselves with freedom. If someone comes on and posts something in response to their thoughts, young girls will often stand up for their opinions with vigor in their reply because there is no sense of face to face confrontation. This can teach young girls to stand up for and defend what they believe in. It is often a challenge for young girls to find their voice and be able to articulate their thoughts. Indeed, with the emotions of young females they will at times post things on blogs that they sometimes wish they could take back. We then see girls learning from their mistakes and growing in their communications skills. Often during adolescence females are very into themselves and their own worlds. When they post things on blogs it leaves their opinions up for interpretation. They are now learning how other people interact with their thoughts. It can lead to the benefit of bringing them outside of themselves. Clearly, these blogs usually not private spaces, but they are becoming something so common that the lack of privatization is becoming accepted. In the readings this week it is written that, “Broadcasting personal feelings and identity shifts may become the cultural norm, and the idea of safe, private space may no longer be relevant.”

          The term of a community might mean something different to each individual person, especially in terms of levels of closeness. In my opinion, a community is defined as a place where people gather together for a common goal or interest. Blogs can fall under this category I suppose. I often fail to include ‘online communities’ in my ideas of a community. However, for young females, these online blogs are certainly part of their community. Young females see online social spaces as places where they are themselves and other people can take it or leave it. At a young age (middle and high school) girls usually don’t need to be concerned with the professional side of the coin where they have colleagues and superiors invading these online social circles. However, as with age comes more responsibility and the division of whom you appear to be socially and professionally. It is often a balancing act. You want to be yourself and give off information, but not too much information. It will be very beneficial for girls to grasp this concept at soon as possible.

-Melissa King