The Filipino Trans Woman in the Middle: The Self-Identification and Expression of Filipino Trans Women through Facebook’s Social Affordances

Title

The Filipino Trans Woman in the Middle: The Self-Identification and Expression of Filipino Trans Women through Facebook’s Social Affordances

Citation

Alegre, J.Y. & Lopez, M.M. (2023). The Filipino Trans Woman in the Middle: The Self-Identification and Expression of Filipino Trans Women through Facebook’s Social Affordances. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.

Abstract

The continuous growth of Facebook has encouraged many users, especially gender minorities, to occupy space on the platform. This study examined Facebook’s social affordances that enabled and disabled the self-identification and presentation of Filipino trans women in their personal online spaces. Using Tajfel and Turner’s (1986) Social Identity Theory, Goffman’s (1959) Self-Presentation, Bradner’s (2001) Social Affordances, and Koyama’s (2003) Transfeminist approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 15 Filipino trans women and participant observations of their Facebook activity. Results showed that the self-reflection of women’s informants on their trans identity influenced how they navigated the platform for self-presentation. Facebook’s social affordances, on the other hand, facilitated their social connectivity with their different social circles, social interactivity to interact with others and express themselves online, and profile management to curate themselves based on their desired image. However, a more critical and Transfeminist analysis revealed Facebook's passivity in addressing trans-related discrimination. This places Filipino trans women in limbo, trapped between ongoing oppression and empowerment on the platform.

KEYWORDS: Trans women, Self-presentation, Social identity theory, Social affordances, Transfeminism

View Thesis