Digital Queens

When reading CamGirls I learned a lot about identity transformation and how the internet has helped people make new identities and use the “anonymous” capabilities to change their identities and express themselves in a new way. The most interesting idea was the idea of “digital drag” that was talked about in chapter one. When I took the class on Theories of Masculinity, we talked about drag and how it was perceived both for men and women. We discussed how difficult it was for society to accept those who, for lack of better wording, did drag. The social acceptance of what femininity and masculinity was supposed to encompass did not leave room for people who wanted to experiment with their own identity and the people were often outcasts. This idea of digital drag, as explained by Senft, helped people experiment with their identity in a way that could prevent backlash from society. It also gave people a way to change themselves and escape from the “real world” discriminations based on gender, race, culture, etc. This idea of changing and experimenting with one’s identity is discussed in many of our readings throughout the semester. I personally think that this is one of the best things that has happened for girls of the age range we have been discussing. Unfortunately, the society we live in today discriminates against anything that doesn’t fit into the “box” that society believes one should fit into. This is not healthy for young girls and it can be extremely harmful both emotionally and physically. We have all heard of girls with eating disorders because they believe they are not as skinny as the models they are bombarded with in all forms of media, or girls with low self-esteem because they think they are not “pretty” enough by industry standards. What is worse, some girls are made to be outcasts if they are not “feminine” and participate in drag. The internet and the idea of digital drag give these girls a new way to express themselves, and boys for that matter. It is a new age of making your own identity, regardless of what society may tell you, and not being reprimanded or made fun of because you are being true to yourself.