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blog post #9 - 11/13

How has the creation of queer dating apps created a safer experience for LGBTQ+ community?

Queer dating apps have created an open and transparent dating field for LGBTQ+ people to thrive in. I know from my personal experience that it can be kind of hard to date when your gender identity isn’t in alignment with the rest of society, and being in a straight dating setting isn’t often ann understanding experience. Oftentimes, being queer/trans can come with a lot of isolation, and social media like dating apps provide a platform where queer people are able to let go of fears and date freely. Being trans, I often feel like my identity is something I have to disclose, especially when dating. However, being given exclusively queer spaces to date has removed the need to be worried or scared about any misunderstanding or potential conflict. LGBTQ+ dating apps are a safe space for individuals looking to feel more accepted within their own community, and can find people of similar interests and desires. They allow for people to date where they feel most comfortable in regards to their identity because it is a cultivation of others looking for the same safety.

How has the creation of queer dating apps fostered an UNSAFE environment for LGBTQ+ communities?

Because queer dating apps are LGBTQ+ exclusive, it can be a hotspot for a lot of hate and sexualization. Grindr has become increasingly known for being a hookup app, and since it is geared towards gay people, the sort of environment fostered here can be kind of predatory in a way. Let me explain. Given the nature of a queer dating app, our identities are constantly put on display and is highlighted for others to see. Something very common these days, especially on these dating apps, is trans chasers. Trans chasers often seek individuals based on the sole fact that they are transgender, and often sexualize and objectify their body parts and physical aspects instead of developing a more human connection. This is especially true with trans women, who often enter the dating scene on apps like this and are left with distasteful experiences due to this fetishization. Oftentimes, trans people encounter what is called “DL” men, or “down low” men who are quick to engage in sexual activity with trans/gay people, but outwardly hateful or disapproving of the LGBTQ+ in public. This leads to purely sexual interactions where many people might be looking for much more, and some may find it hard to break out of this unwanted dynamic. Outside of this fetishization though, men on these apps can be physically dangerous, and may play as a certain identity to lure queer people in. I have read far too many cases of trans women being killed upon meeting their Grindr date, and most of which are assumed to be hate crimes. Last year in Pennsylvania, a 14 year old trans girl was found dismembered after being missing for a few days. Upon further investigation, police learned that the murderer was actually a Grindr date she had met up with (see article at end). Unfortunately, I would be wrong to say that this was the only occasion, and I dread to say that this has happened multiple times in the past for people to recognize these dangers. I see trans women constantly telling each other to be safe and to stay protected, whether that be armed or not. It is very similar to how cisgender women experience men in the dating realm, and the hate that fuels transphobia can also be fueled by sexism. In another case, a man from Houston, Texas shot a woman after finding out she was transgender, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down (see article). There is a lot of dangerous behavior that can happen due to the hate people can hold in their hearts, and queer people are often targets of these hate crimes.

How does social media accommodate to its disabled users and create a safe space for them?

I myself am not a disabled person, but I decided to think outside of my own hardships and explore those of other marginalized groups. I bring this up to say that most points I reference are going to come from the article “Social Media as a Tool for Disabled People” by Rebecca from the Everyone Can organization. I will also link this article at the end of the post.

Online social interaction by able-bodied people is often frowned upon and not considered “real” forms of socialization. Especially after we experienced a whole pandemic where we had to be online, many people continue to hold this idea that communication is most valuable when it is spoken or verbal. However, this excludes those with disabilities, like those who are mute/nonverbal or have difficulties with speech, who primarily use writing, text, or hand signing. Social media can actually create a lot of accessibility for disabled communities, and not only for those related to speech. Blind and deaf individuals can also run into difficulties interacting with people in real life, and social media makes a more accessible and accommodating platform for disabled communities to communicate on. There are even technological aspects that have been implemented into phones and apps that help convert speech to text or vice versa, which paves paths for those who have trouble communicating in general. Social media provides a digital platform where forms of communication are equal regardless of disability, and puts everyone on the same playing field. Unless it is explicitly stated, disability isn’t a factor that is considered when talking to these people whereas in real life, people may underestimate or assume that disabled individuals can’t communicate in the same way. Even if their disability is stated online, it creates visibility and allows for disabled people to connect with each other. Rebecca, the author of this article, expresses that it is actually pretty uncommon to meet other people with the same disability, so social media and its connective nature is a perfect way for people to reach others with the same struggles. Social media is also a good way to stay connected for those that have mobility issues or can’t leave the house as much for whatever reasons, and gives people the chance to stay in touch through text, video, phone calls, video calls, voice messages, and so much more. Social media can also serve as a tool for these communities to raise awareness and education around disability, and can minimize the stigma or misconceptions around their lives.

How has social media contributed to creating a safer, more accepting world in real life for marginalized groups?

Honestly, the intermixing of a lot of different cultures through social media has paved the way for a more accepting and diverse reality. In terms of music, social media gives everyone a platform to share where they come from, and everyone can enjoy it. For example, Bad Bunny. He is a Puerto Rican artist, and his rap/reggaeton has become so mainstream that he is going to perform at the Superbowl. Additionally, both male and female K-Pop groups have become poplar throughout the world, especially here in the US. I grew up knowing a lot of girls who would fawn over these Korean idols and they would send me edits or posts on social media about them. In terms of language, we have become very integrated too. Gay lingo and AAVE make up the majority of what we speak and throw around online, and what we say online often materializes in our real vocabulary. The ability for people to blend and indulge in different cultures and ideas can push ideas of acceptance and paints marginalized groups as human and individuals that can be related to, not othered. Outside of individual, specific cultures, there exists a universal code on social media and the Internet. It is a shared experience of simply being online, and even those with very dissimilar traits would be able to bond over a certain meme or online joke. Social media provides exposure for those who are narrow-minded, and helps them break free from fixed perceptions and stereotypes. Lastly, the sharing of different foods has created more acceptance in real life, and more tolerance. I see various culture promoting their desserts, foods, and drinks on social media, oftentimes becoming viral. Mexico, the Middle East, Africa, and India all have foods that have gone viral over the past few months, and it has spread so largely due to social media. The Dubai Chocolate bar, butter chicken, fufu and egusi soup, and birria tacos have actually become trends online and people want to interact with foods from cultures outside of their own. The interconnectedness social media brings can bridge us together as people and it can be crucial to the way people treat each other in real life.

Works Cited:

A 29-year-old man was charged with four felony charges in connection to 14-year-old girl’s death

He allegedly shot her in the chest when he found out she was a transgender woman, and court documents say her legs were left paralyzed.

Social media gets a lot of attention, but something that’s not often discussed, is how when used appropriately, it can […]

#gsskittens #dl men #dubai chocolate #labubu #matcha

blog post #8 - 11/7

What were some of the first examples of social media organized events?

When I was younger, I remember having seen Anonymous on the TV screen. I was actually really scared at first, and of course, being a child didn’t help because I didn’t understand what was going on. However, I am glad to have learned in this course that Anonymous was actually advocating for the benefit of the people, and not terrorizing it as I initially thought. Actually, the “hacktivism” that occurred during these projects were sorts of foundations to other movements that became widespread over social media. Project Chanology, which occurred before the inception of Anonymous is a good, early example of mobilization and realization deriving from social media/platforms and flourishing stages of “hacktivism”. While they weren’t exclusively oriented in the activism part of it, it demonstrated how possible it was to assemble groups of people for a common cause. Once established, Anonymous endorsed other social media derived movements, such as the Arab Spring Protests in 2010, and Occupy Wall Street in 2011. While these movements were already in action, Anonymous put a spotlight on them through social media and concentrated attention towards issues and passions nobody was listening to yet. In 2013, #BlackLivesMatter was created, and the hashtag grew outside of it’s digital creation. We saw thousands of protests and demonstrations, and it actually became more popular as the years progressed and we became aware of the increasing police brutality that continues to occur in our nation. After George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter Movement became one of the largest movements in the US, and it originated online! I was going to use the #MeToo movement as my last example, but it actually predates the examples I mentioned before. The #MeToo movement focused on raising awareness around sexual assault and violence and empowering survivors by creating strength through shared experience. I personally remember having seen this movement blow up around 2016-2017, which was when the movement hit its peak.

How have we progressed from physical flyers to digital, online formats?

Outside of activism, digital forms of promotion and marketing have overtaken us. I personally go to punk shows and know about shows solely because I follow certain social media accounts because it is rare to see a show being advertised in real life anymore. I think only once I have seen a paper flyer for a local punk show, and the rest are all online. As we have delved into a more digital world, the way we present information has also changed. Before, you would see a lot of events or protests being promoted through physical media, like paper posters and flyer along with large billboards you’d see. Before social media really grew, the only form of digital advertisements were those on television when your show would turn to a commercial break. Now, we are able to use apps on computers and phones that allow us to create customized flyers, and not even have to print them out at all. We can use social media platforms themselves to create flyers, but we also have specific apps like Canva, which give you templates, but also lets you start with a blank page. Social media became a huge tool for community alertness, and allows for members of specific communities to stay engaged with each other. Because of the worldwide nature of the Internet and social media, movements and events of all sorts can be seen across many paces in the world, creating a chain reaction and igniting/inspiring change in another place of the world. Social media is also very personalized and customizable, which creates space for many communities and niches to come together and gather. Through digital forms of media, we are able to widen our social circles and stay connected with our communities. Using the same platforms, we can also resist against oppressive systems and advocate for change in our lives, usually political or legal. Social media gives people more access to resources as well, such as housing, food, and emergency aid by raising awareness on local food banks and shelters. Especially with the cut in SNAP benefits, I have seen a lot of Instagram accounts reposting local food banks and how to donate food to them as well.

What are some recent events or movements we have seen arise from social media communities?

As mentioned in the previous question, there is a big upsurge in the sharing of local resources for individuals struggling from SNAP cuts. While this isn’t a movement per se, it demonstrates how social media is a tool in delivering aid to individuals and families in need. It shows how easily we are able to take action and access helpful, necessary resources from a simple social media post. A specific example of movements from social media being realized is the No Kings movement. I myself participated in a No Kings protest, and I wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for social media unfortunately. I was able to locate my nearest protest and gather information on how to stay safe through social media sources, showing how something so large can be put into action with simple motivation. Social media creates opportunities for people to band together and unionize towards a common goal, and gives us the necessary tools we need to reach people all across the nation and world. Another recent example of movements I have seen in response to our current political situation is MigraWatch. MigraWatch consists of local community members who keep an eye out for undercover ICE agents, and notify the surrounding communities about their locations. The movement was supported by influencer Victor Vallardes (Victor Vallardes on all platforms), who would travel around Orange County cities reporting ICE whereabouts and helping fight against citizens being wrongfully kidnapped/arrested. While he wasn’t the creator of these surveillance groups, he used his social media platform to educate a scared public and create awareness within the immigrant community. He would post nearly every day on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook about his sightings and others caught on to the idea as well. Others started to track down ICE agents on the street and verbally harass the until they exited the area, and others would honk and make noise to notify others to run because ICE was nearby. This community solidarity was fostered through the means of social media and dedication to public safety.

How do people hide behind activism on social media? How does activism become a performance online?

While social media gives activism an open platform to be shared and discussed on, a lot of people online tend to hind behind a forefront. I’ve seen it a lot especially with the genocide in Palestine, and the support for brands that endorse Israel. While raising awareness by spreading posts on Instagram and Tiktok is crucial for it to be widespread, many are not centered on creating actual change. Many people tend to just repost the same quotes and messages because others are doing it and they don’t want to be judged for not participating. Additionally, I have seen people say “Free Palestine” and turn around and buy McDonald’s, which has given free food to Israeli military and citizens during the ongoing genocide. In fact, McDonald’s purchased 225 Israeli McDonald’s locations after October 7th, 2023, when the Israeli-Hamas conflicts escalated. While boycotts were successful, there are a lot of people who struggle to abide to them. People argued as well that McDonald’s was a cheaper option than most as justification for their contribution, but there is a lot of discourse online about what boycotting really does to a multibillionaire franchise. However, I think it is less about the actual damaging of these companies and more about the actual meaning of that movement, which is to stop funding larger conglomerates that have immediate ties to genocide. I think generally it is a good idea to stay out of touch in that sense and support more independent companies, but especially when the companies are contributing to harm in the world. I am reminded of the 3 areas of online activism discussed by Vegh in “Classifying Forms of Online Activism” and how they apply here. In many ways, I feel that people stop at the first step, awareness and advocacy. Although it is always necessary to raise awareness about a situation first, it is more important to move past that and take the next step. In this case, organization/mobilization. Social media is usually good at getting the first part done (awareness) but the second step is where people struggle more to materialize efforts. Lastly, action/reaction is where I think most of the general public, specifically online, fails. Most people are so centered in believing they cannot create change by participating in one protest or donating a few dollars that they give up the idea of contributing at all. However, social media amplifies our voices and it is important for people to see the real desire for change from everyone, not just people we think matters. It starts with one person, and then there are many who follow after.

Works Cited

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying forms of online activism. In M. McCaughey & M. D. Ayers (Eds.), Cyberactivism: Online activism in theory and practice

McDonald's subject to boycotts since franchisee Alonyal announced it would give free meals to the Israeli military.

Organizers say they want to empower their neighbors and dispel misinformation. Here's how they're doing it.

Versus nowadays...

(Online screenshot from an Instagram story)

#gsskittens #me too #free palestine #blacklivesmatter

blog post #7 - 10/31

How do we experience political censorship on social media platforms and online overall?

Last month in September, Jimmy Kimmel’s show on ABC was suspended for an indefinite amount of time due to the comments he made on Charlie Kirk’s death. Kimmel discussed how the shooter was being portrayed as something entirely opposite to what they are, which he assumes is a Trump supporter. He described his belief that the shooter was probably a MAGA supporter themselves, and quickly after, his show was taken off the air. In a more reduced sense though, Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended because he made dissenting statements and remarks against Trump and his supporters. Although Kimmel is not a political figure, he has a large audience and in taking off his show, ABC is participating in political censorship.President Trump endorsed this decision and expressed on many occasions his desire to keep Jimmy Kimmel off air, which creates questions about his true motivations for cancelling the show. Not only is the president supporting the silencing of his “opponent’s” view, but he is also violating a right by punishing someone for exercising their freedom of speech. This is ironic because most of Trump’s supporters are constantly advocating for the Constitution and following the American law (especially the second amendment), and their own president is going against the most fundamental principles of the nation. In a way, this exemplifies how indoctrinated some people have become to not question what we are told, and that can also be an effect of political censorship. If we are constantly hidden away from views that oppose our own, we grow to be narrow minded and in the lens of politics, disagreement festers within people and becomes fueled not by politics anymore, but by hate. Trump also removed/disabled certain health websites, like those for LGBTQ+ people and reproductive health, which are not even political values to be considered but more so Christian values that have become mixed into their discrimination. His own distaste/disagreement for others’ lives creates a politically and socially unsafe environment for those that oppose him, which is toeing the line of authoritarianism and facism. In relation to facism, Trump and his administration have also claimed that they will “execute” the entire ANTIFA organization, which by definition means Anti-Facist. The Trump administration has also labeled ANTIFA as a terrorist organization, and compared them to cartels. In reality, ANTIFA is not an organization, but a movement that condemns racism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, homophobia, and other ideologies adopted by the far-right. In academic media, Trump has promoted the erasure of real American history, and instead replaced the continents of a historical/educational kid’s show to justify, undermine, and defend the establishment of slavery. Additionally, what we hear on the radio or on the phone between songs has become delicately selected, and centers around political issues. For example, I have been getting a lot of advertisements that promote not only the typical branches of the army, but the nuclear division of it as well. They start by creating insecurity in you (calling you lazy or not meeting your fullest potential) and build you up to think that you can be “nuke smart” instead of averagely smart. The Department of Homeland Security PSA’s are also a form of political propaganda, and instill great fear within a large population of people. It is threatening and daunting, and again, starts by supporting Trump’s agenda. All forms of media these days are used as government tools, and I suspect there may be more on the horizon in reference to political censorship. People have compared Trump to Hitler, and breaking down the facts and comparing the two, it is a pretty reasonable attribution (see picture at end).

Who benefits from being political on social media?

I believe we can all benefit from merging our digital worlds with our current political ones because I wholeheartedly believe we need to be more educated on the oppressive systems we are in and how we can rise up against discriminatory powers. However, this is not to say that everyone has the ability to discern between disinformation and real information. In reality, those who benefit most from having politicized social media are the politicians themselves. We have entered an extremely digital age and it seems that our whole lives have shifted to orient screens and technology, which is our main form of communication as well. Being able to create political power within these platforms gives them a larger sphere of influence within their communities, whether it be city-wide or nationwide. In New York City’s mayoral race, candidate Zohran Mamdani uses a lot of social media platforms to deliver his messages, or share clips of him speaking in debates to gain attention from those who are on social media already: younger people. While older individuals use social media as well, the targeting towards younger adult audiences is apparent when he performs onstage with a popular artist who primarily started to blow up on TikTok (PinkPantheress). He curates his social media presence as one appealing to younger audiences, understanding how influential his campaign could be online. He describes younger people as equally competent with the rest of society, gaining him support from all ages. I think he also acknowledges the power digital media has over us as a society, and he uses it as a tool to cultivate support.

Does corruption always result in bad things? How can putting the power in people’s hands empower but also detriment society?

Corruption is a board term and can be applicable to nearly every large organization that exists. In my personal opinion, I don’t believe corruption is always a producer of evil, but it truly does vary. This week we watched “The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem”, and it created space for a new perspective. In the specific transformation of 4chan to Anonymous, it was fascinating to see how efficiently a small group of people were able to ignite a whole movement, not only online, but to materialize it and realize it in real life. Operation Chanology was the first large protest of many started by Anonymous, targeting and exposing the Church of Scientology. This fundamentally marked the shift from a derogatory meme channel to a more serious, politically focused one. In addition to this, Operation Occupy Wall Street was a following protest/movement promoted by Anonymous, this time, centered around social injustice, corporate greed, and money in politics. This gained national attention and once Anonymous became televised, their movements became more aligned with activism (referred to as “hacktivism” because of the impact they were able to make. They started with exposing a white supremacist/neo-Nazi, Hal Turner, and rapidly progressed into larger, political issues with the power of thousands of Anonymous people. While these are all feats I celebrate, the actual corrupt part of it is usually left out. All of these influential movements, both online and in person, were only able to happen due to the “corrupt” or “immoral” actions committed by the Anonymous hackers. They used their skills to expose and threaten corrupt political figures by being sneaky or “corrupt” themselves. I wouldn’t personally call it corruption, but there is a baseline idea that hacking is invasive and not to be done, although I would say it was pretty worth it! This didn’t last forever though, and the online movements began to revert back to what they originated with in 4chan with the upbringing of a sister site, 8chan. 8chan was created in response to the banning of misogynistic and sexist remarks against female gamers on 4chan, meaning there was a whole other platform created (GamerGate) just to express this ideology and hatred towards women and other topics previously banned. In addition, this GamerGate phenomenon primed people for Trump’s presidency and ideals, supporting him more because the memes and media shared about him on these digital boards was already the type of media 8chan users liked to consume anyways. The way digital identity creates a shield for some people is dangerous, and can lead us to engage in acts of deindividuation and conformity. People who are easily impressionable can lose self-restraint when surrounded by large groups, especially those which are anonymous. Heightened arousal and chaos itself can lead to a loss of self-judgement and lead you to follow the herd, as many ex users described. They describe their past as “harmless fun” at the time when in reality, people were aware of the messages they were spreading, but allowed it to happen so much within their digital groups that it was normalized. This also shows how big of an influence we can have on each other as individuals, even those who are anonymous.

Is it dangerous to politicize social media?

No, I don’t think it is entirely dangerous. Like mentioned earlier, I think we could all benefit from knowing more about what goes on in a political sense, but I do also acknowledge that there are a lot of gaps between older and current generations in terms of digital literacy. Even younger audiences can be impressionable to a certain degree, and I think to be more educated, we need to be able to question and find opposing views to the news we consume. Seeing as all parties can use social media as a tool or aid for their campaigns, it is important to educate individuals from a young age to not blindly obey. It is also crucial to the creation of social rights movements and protests, which are what have gotten us to where we are as a country, and our challenging what we are taught is correct or legal. I think a main point I keep referring back to is the ability to discern truthful information online. In the Netflix documentary we watched in class, we learned about how QAnon’s movements were largely followed, and blindly too. While everyone was relying on QAnon’s “predictions”, they proved to be hoaxes and fakes fabricated with photoshop. This example highlights how one singular person can concentrate power in a very misleading way and spread disinformation. On that same level though, people could use that power to move people towards a good cause, but having that power itself is not often put in the right hands. Values can also shift rapidly within a movement like this, exemplified by the shift from edgy, racist 4chan to activist Anonymous, and then back to derogatory 8chan, which was mainly used by hate groups like Proud Boys, GamerGate, incels, and other white male centered groups.

Works Cited:

“The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem” (2024). Directed by Giorgio Angelini and Arthur Jones

US Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Trump administration is 'deploying the full might of federal law enforcement to crack down on an

Not to mention the banning of books!

#gsskittens

blog post #6 - 10/17

How does social media uphold gender stereotypes? How do transgender and cisgender people experience gender roles online?

All gender identities experience the societal pressure of gender roles. The pressure from both male and female gender roles are applicable to cisgender people and transgender people alike, and the way we abide to those expectations online is something we consider valuable. Men and women can strive to appear most masculine or feminine, and when considering trans people, the same applies. In fact, on social media, there are a lot of stereotypes one can fit into aesthetic categories that are associated with specific gender identities. For example, some I can recall are the “blue-haired they/them” stereotype and the “marine biology transmasc” stereotype. While these are trivial attributions to gender, it perpetuates the idea that there are certain appearances and interests that belong to a certain gender, which is JUST like how cisgender people categorize things into gendered dimensions. Furthermore, I have seen being gay/lesbian have certain images attached to them, some marking lesbian women as “butch” or masculine, disregarding the femme-presenting lesbian. On the same page as the last point, gay men are often characterized as effeminate and flamboyant, and those who stray from this perceived stereotype are often not considered gay by others around them. Even if an individual is not queer themselves, if they choose to dress or present a certain way, society will label them as such. Social media is something you are meant to personalize and make your own, which is often followed by ideals of gender. If a straight man chose to decorate his Tumblr blog (example lol) with pink, and softer themes like teddy bears and bows, many would consider him gay. This is just a made up example of how we assign certain visuals to gender, and how it can dictate the way we are treated and perceive others.

How do men’s experiences online differ from those of women?

I would say women face a lot more judgement online. I have seen literal models and celebrities be called “chopped” (ugly) when they are some of the most significant people that set our beauty standards. This can create deep insecurity within some women due to the nature of comparison, and it also creates the idea that regardless of how attractive they may look, they are never fully meeting the perceived ideal beauty standard. Even so, men tend to oversexualize and objectify women online regardless of how they look, and also in real life. In an opposite lens, I think it is a lot rarer to come across women who objectify and pick men apart in the same way they do. The objectification of males is not nearly as prevalent as slutshaming and objectification of women. While sex work has always been a thing, OnlyFans has risen in popularity amongst many young women, some creating accounts right after turning 18. I think it is a response to the sexualization women have experienced for ages, but now they are just using the patriarchy in their favor I suppose and make profit off of them. However, I see a lot of girls now receive hate over having an OnlyFans, and girls who don’t even have one get accused of it or get asked to make one, so it has a lot of sides to it, where men are the sole creators of this dichotomy.

How can being transgender and being a woman become threatening during times where white supremacy is on the rise?

Due to how largely gender roles and expectations are integrated into our society, our adherence to them dictates our treatment from others. This affects people of all genders and sexes, because gender is a construct, as race is. If an individual strays from what is expected of their perceived gender or sex, they get treated differently, and experience alienation. In my personal experience as a transgender male, I understood quickly that my gender expression would be a main point of contention or controversy for some people, and I also understood how that could put me in danger. Even though we have made a lot of progress in society, hate is still very strong and has resurged with Trump’s presidency. In fact, some of Trump’s first orders were to eliminate DEI initiatives that protected all minorities from facing discrimination in workplaces and during the hiring processes. Instead, he labeled those initiatives as “illegal discrimination” and took away necessary protections for the safety of all people. He also signed an order that would recognize only male and female as the only 2 gender identities, and made sure to highlight the “unchangeable” part. These orders take away the rights of transgender people and others that don’t align with either the male or female gender, and are specifically targeting them in a legal sense. Additionally, the National Suicide Hotline for LGBTQ+ youth was terminated and gender affirming care is also at risk due to excluding policies brought about by the administration. From 2024-2025, 52% of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ were against transgender and gender non-conforming people. In alignment with Trump’s ideology, the death of Charlie Kirk also rekindled hate from white, conservative communities towards transgender people. The person who shot Charlie Kirk was accused of being transgender and “mentally ill” for that reason, and many have come to use transgender people as a scapegoat for the consequences of the policies they support. They go as far as to say that transgender people make up the majority of school scooters when in reality, only 5 out of 2,748 mass shooters have been confirmed as transgender. White supremacy isn’t just about being white, and it usually comes with other bigoted ideologies, like ones of transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and religious intolerance, highlighting the realness of intersectionality. Furthermore, misogyny tends to be a common factor amongst white supremacy, meaning that transgender identities aren’t the only ones at risk, but it includes women too. What is worse is the lack of coverage we get for hate crimes and death when we are transgender or not in alignment with the rest of society. I see trans influencers bringing awareness to the lynching and violence against trans women and I see no news coverage or fundraising for us. Charlie Kirk, a person who spread hateful ideology, got recognition from government officials, the president, and thousands of people nationwide. We are killed for simply existing as queer people, and Charlie Kirk got praised for his hate against us. I will also link below a fan-made image of Charlie Kirk next to Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesus Christ (which is crazy!!) It is dangerous to exist as a trans person today, and it seems to be getting worse.

How can we reform the way we think about femininity and masculinity and apply it to current and future generations?

I think it starts with understanding that gender doesn't belong to either sex, and that the way we have indoctrinated ourselves as a society is simply that: self made. Over the course of many, many decades, our ideas of what we perceive as feminine or masculine have changed. As a simple fact, pink used to be a boy’s color, and blue was seen as a girl’s color. I find it a bit ridiculous that we label and box each other in for simple colors, symbols, and interests when in reality, they have no assigned sex. I also find it ironic that most transphobes argue that transgender people and drag queens are a danger to children, when from a young age, they indoctrinate their own kids with gendered concepts and rules. Even designs on babies’ clothes saying things like “ladies man” or “I belong to my dad” perpetuate weird social ideas that place them into roles they don’t need. Similarly, the prints on boys’ shirts tend to be more action based and have animals like lions, crocodiles, and dinosaurs versus girls’ clothing, which has butterflies and unicorns. There are clear ways we raise our children under gender norms and they carry on to our adulthood, and the development of certain abilities can also be impacted due to this reason. The way parents treat growing boys with encouragement is not paralleled to girls' treatment, where they are urged to be cautious rather than to be risky. Another example is the curriculums of Boy Scouts vs. Girl Scouts, and their fundraising too. This creates division in equality, as girls will grow up understanding they may not be able to do certain things boys do. For example, there was a video shot in an elementary school that describes exactly this, where even girls believed that people who held intensive, risky jobs were women (linked below). The concept of being equal isn’t radical; that’s just what it should be.

Q: Have many of the mass shooters been transgender? A: The number of transgender mass shooters in the U.S. varies depending on how “mass sh

GLAAD released the third annual report from the ALERT Desk, GLAAD’s Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker. Between May 1, 2024 and May 1, 2

President Donald Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders since he returned to office. Here's w

Dr. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is expressing dismay over the publication of an

So many clothes for infants have blatant and cringe sexual messages. It's kind of wild.

Discover the hidden gender stereotypes in high-street kids' clothing, from design choices to fit, and learn how they shape children's percep

Research that might help explain why boys get injured more.

#gsskittens #fuck gender roles #yolo #be your true self #Youtube

blog post #5 - 10/10

Do digital identities dictate social treatment? How do our digital identities impact our experiences of discrimination?

In short, yes. Since the rise of the internet and social media in specific, personal value has become intertwined with the amount of likes, follows, and comments one gets online. As we talked about in our last blog post, the rapid advance in technology has opened doors for new jobs to emerge. Most recently, a job that is sought after is being an online content creator. Many want to make videos or content relating to a certain niche in hopes to get paid, and since social media has become so big, it isn’t unrealistic to think this. However, it isn’t the easiest nor the most realistic considering that most influencers we do see have large amounts of money already. Our financial income has been tied to our place on the social hierarchy, and considering it is a social platform, social media traction can also be attributed to our worth. A prime example I can think of right now is the Black Mirror episode we saw in class, where ratings and merits were awarded based on ingenuine interactions and fake smiles. An individual’s ranking determined how they would be treated by society, where the ranking was solely off an app on the phone. I feel that this is extremely applicable to those who gain certain privileges due to being successful content creators and for simply being known. Unfortunately, we as a society uphold these values and create this importance placed on social media attention, and since we are seeing people seek these same jobs, we stray further from creating safer spaces on social media. I am not a stranger to this notion either, and I would say that my own identity online is one I try to build well and it does matter to me to be perceived in a certain way, though I feel like that is the appealing nature of it all. It can go a little overboard though when one is too honed into their digital identities and how they are perceived, and social comparison can be a huge issue too. You get to choose what people see, which can be detrimental in some aspects when we consider how important that can be in our current society. Even online, we are not free from stereotypes and comment sections often display this. Our online status can most definitely impact the way others treat you, and some well known influencers get free entry, services, or things for being internet famous, so I understand why so many people crave that sort of treatment as well. Having a larger following online also allows you to social climb and find opportunities in larger businesses that wouldn't be possible without self expression through digital identity.

How can digital identities create a safer place for white supremacy and overall oppression online?

Since creating your digital identity is basically limitless, one has full and total control over who they want to portray themselves as online. For that reason, I see that many people nowadays hide behind this made up identity, and try to engage in conflicts with others of opposing views. While there is nothing wrong with debate and discussion, white supremacists and other racists online take advantage of the fact that their digital identity isn’t their real one, and find comfort in that shield. Furthermore, some individuals take it upon their own hands to terrorize their enemy, and engage in doxxing. Doxxxing is the act of exposing someone’s personal information to the public like their home, bank accounts, work, etc. While not a new concept, recently doxxing started rising in prevalence again, specifically following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Usually, white supremacists on digital platforms take to doxxing those with anti-racist ideologies, and those who express distaste towards their opinions. On Instagram the other day, I came across a female content creator who was expressing her fear of white supremacists online who were doxxing and threatening her with violence because she shared a video speaking against Charlie Kirk. Not only in regards to race, but gender and sexuality is also a main point of contention for online bigots. Those who support the LGBTQ community and their rights along with those against government policies have been targeted in doxxing campaigns. The worst thing is that these white supremacists often get away with these invasive acts because they misrepresent themselves, using fake identities online. People feel more enabled to spew hate on a digital platform because there is no physical or immediate repercussion to their comments, so digital identities help them disguise their real identities, which could be an issue considering the nature of their racist ideologies and how that is taken by the world around them. Not only is it common folk though, it is also police. I wont go over direct details because I have touched these topics in the past, but predictive policing technology uses digital technology for facial recognition, which often reflects and perpetuates the statistic that people of color are arrested at disproportionately higher rates than white people. Police can use these digital technologies to mark you or flag you down as a high risk individual, all based on human made algorithms that AI reflects.

How does racism and discrimination online affect our identity?

While I don’t consider myself an artist all the time, I sometimes get posts on my feed that belong to art accounts or communities. Something I actually saw quite a few times was Black artists expressing that during their introductions to the art community online, they felt the need to whitewash their original characters, or preexisting ones as well. Also, other artists will whitewash your personal character as well, reflecting how European/Western beaut ideals are still dominating society. I think it is also important to note that this sort of dissonance happens with other people of color as well. From my personal experience, I know that in Mexican cultures, digital media like telenovelas can also perpetuate white supremacist ideas through the form of colorism. Even knowing that our ancestors were brown and very tan, Mexican kids are brought up watching pale, fair skinned actors and usually, and the darker skin tones that actually represent us are given janitor or villain roles. There is a clear distinction between how people are perceived and treated because of their skin tone, and we pick this up from the world around us, even if we don’t want to. We grow used to this idea that having a certain skin color can automatically give you appendages or automatically puts you in a higher position or respect in society, which is what we call white privilege.

What is dangerous about digital identities?

When I was younger, online scandals like catfishing and grooming were how I was mainly taught internet safety. My parents didn’t know how to moderate my use of online time or my devices, so being unsupervised online, I saw a lot of horror stories that taught me how to keep myself safe on the internet. I specifically remember seeing young girls get catfished, and meeting up with someone dangerous or entirely different to who they thought they were meeting, and it scared me tremendously. These forms of constructed digital identities can be dangerous and misleading, which only happens because the user has every right to manipulate their own image online. People can also use others’ pictures to act as if they were another person, which also leads me to scamming. While not physically dangerous (usually), scamming also involves the manipulation of appearance or perception by portraying a false digital identity in return for money. When I was younger, a lot of it used to happen mostly through phone calls that asked you to say “yes” to claim your 7 day cruise vacation, worsening now with AI and other more advanced imaging and voicing technologies. Nowadays, we have AI ransom calls that demand money by faking their identities, acting as a loved one or family member that is being held hostage. The fact is that online, there is nothing that can be trusted 100%. Even if it is your friends’ posts or your favorite influencers, what is put out online is all mediated by those who post it. In the same way, people use these technologies for their bad intentions, which shows that there is a lot that digital technologies can allow us to do if used in particular circumstances.

A Brooklyn couple got a call from relatives who were being held ransom. Their voices—like many others these days—had been cloned.

#gsskittens #Youtube

blog post #4 - 10/3

Has digital labor always existed?

Digital labor is something that came about with the creation of the Internet. While I would argue to say that it has always existed, what I am mainly thinking about is exploitation. Exploitative labor has existed for hundreds of years, but digital labor is a newfound variant of exploitation. Digital labor is the modernized version of exploitation, and it has become a lot more prevalent as our technology advances. While digital labor didn’t start off as exploitative and isn't inherently a negative word, the demand for jobs online has skyrocketed, giving us jobs in all sorts of small areas of technology. Before, the most common forms of digital labor were basic computer coding, and manual data input. Now, we have an extremely high demand for technology, creating more need for physical resources, such as cobalt, lithium, and copper to name a few. Digital labor is an accommodation to the change in the world’s work systems, and as we develop more work fields online, many fail to see the more intricate details of what goes on behind the scenes. Most people gathering the materials for these devices like phones, computers, screens, and chips are literally exploited, including children. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), people are violently forced out of their homes due to industrial mining, and are undergoing modern slavery. In fact, the DRC is considered one of the poorest countries in the world, yet big tech corporations that abuse their rights to land and humanity win billions of dollars and rejoice in their riches. Especially now that we live in a digital age, this doesn’t seem to come to a stop.

How does consumerism, capitalism, and demand affect digital labor?

In last week's reading “Digital Labor” by Christian Fuchs, he states that “the entire planet is today a capitalist factory” (p. 9). In it, he also describes the deep entanglement between the internet and the political economy, describing the not thin, but nonexistent line between the two. Honestly, I don’t disagree. There are times I’ll be scrolling online and not even realize that every video I just watched were advertisements. On par with the first question, more depletion of earthly resources also equals more people being forced into labor. Since our own country doesn’t have the materials necessary for the technology they profit off of, they outsource everything and use the people there to work for them. Not only for electronics, but fast fashion and microtrends like Labubus and Smiski figurines are creating more for our landfills to carry once the trends are over. Digital labor affects other things besides the people working, like our planet. Even then, some would consider the term global warming a “political myth”, and it is clear that there is no real importance placed on the well being of people or things if it doesn’t make money.

Besides workers, how do users of these technologies exploited too?

Fuchs mentions our own participation in digital labor, claiming that us as users are being exploited too since we help them improve their technologies and continue spending money. The way corporations target specific audiences is based on popular trends, and these days, everything is online. The data that is sold to them from our searches helps them better cater to our interests so that we buy their product or service. Sometimes, I watch an Instagram reel that felt like a relatable video, and realized it ended with them promoting a business or item. However, that is the goal; for them to know what you like or dislike, what you relate to, what you engage with. Oftentimes we accept cookies on websites mindlessly, not caring and sometimes not knowing that even the tiniest bits of information are sold for hundreds of dollars, money which we never see.

Without exploited workers, who would suffer most?

I would like to say that the billionaires would suffer most if digital and physical participation came to a halt. I would think that they would lose an insane amount of funding from its users, and maybe even experience divestment. Unfortunately though, it sometimes affects the workers most. For example, during the 1950’s when the Bracero program was introduced, Mexicans were coming to work and earn money honestly, and in turn, received delayed paychecks, and most didn’t even get paid at all. The people who come here to work and provide for their families are often subjected to these positions by political and societal barriers upheld by discrimination and cheap labor. It doesn’t necessarily apply to those who are forced to work, but it does make me think that usually those with money are never the ones suffering.

Even if we stopped using their products, the world has become so computerized that most things need the internet or some sort of digital device to work (which is probably the point for the billionaires’ benefit). For example, I had lost my phone about a year ago and was trying to go phoneless for as long as I could. However, I realized I could only access my schoolwork through a two-factor authenticator, which was enabled through my phone. Since I found out about Apple’s supply chain being exploitative, I have tried my hardest to avoid purchasing new Apple products, but even then it is hard when that is the only thing my mom wants for her birthday. I continue to spend little to no money on companies like that, but it is hard to tell what comes from forced labor in other areas. I know that Nestle also faces backlash due to their own use of child laborers and practice of modern slavery in Africa, and even after claiming to eradicate child slavery in their corporation, they still could not confirm that their products were made without it.

At school, some teachers only assign online work rather than paper copies. The increase of jobs in a digital space is increasing, and more workers means companies have more money to distribute to their employees, and usually end up underpaying. Outside of digital work, people working interactive, physical jobs cannot afford to live on minimum wage anymore. Even in California where the minimum wage is higher, its citizens cannot afford to live on the wage we are legally required to receive, and it shows that what conglomerate corporations value most is making more profit regardless of human suffering.

I linked the song Pearl by Sade to reflect how I feel after writing this blog post. It is very poignant and emotive and raw, and I believe art is so necessary in times like these. The lyrics say enough and her voice says even more. Analyzing the lyrics really adds to the understanding of it all.

From deceptive international baby food marketing to child labor accusations, let's explore Nestlé's lengthy list of controversies.

We join the debate as protests over the iPhone 16 demand accountability for exploitation in mineral mining.

#gsskittens #free congo #free palestine #i hate america

blog post #3 - 9/19

How have memes become modernized?

In my personal opinion, I believe memes have become politicized. Like everything else in current day, memes as a form of media has become another format to make political commentary. Approaching this from a lens of dialectical reasoning, there are both pros and cons to this becoming political. Humor as we know it eases tensions between people and can create a connection between niche communities or smaller subgroups of people, which allows us as people to share topics we may not feel the most confident saying in other contexts (ex. self deprecating jokes and controversial topics). However, it can also bring detriment to certain issues, as memes can create an unserious forefront to a larger issue. For example, during the Black Lives Matter and ACAB movements, there was a meme of a flag circulating around the internet: the Manny flag. It was brought up by a TikToker who thought of pranking FOX news and the right, but in turn,undermined the movements and public perceptions on it. I think in another way though, it showed how capable young people are of assembling for a greater cause as well. In terms of being modernized, we went from the first online meme (dancing baby) to seeing memes of genuinely anything you can imagine. Memes now surround all topics, whether it be past, present, or future ones, and recently, memes have become political due to the state of our country. We even see meta-memes that take current memes and make it into another in a different context, but I think the more important part is being able to use memes as a tool to analyze our current society and create change or draw awareness to it in that way. For example, the “Tilling the Fields” meme (linked below) is a reenactment of what medieval homophobia may have looked like, containing modern slang and jokes using medieval language, but in my interpretation, it shows how memes can give us an outlet to critically reflect on ourselves as people and make observations on how we function socially.

How do memes both unite and divide groups of people?

Some memes are designed to reach a point of relation among a group of people, whether it be gamers, readers, gardeners, hikers, etc. Any person who belongs to any group can probably find a meme for their subculture, because so many exist, especially online. In a way though, minds have become more narrow and use memes to generalize not only subcultures, but mass groups of people as well. These can be real and critical observations, but more than anything, they are hateful, and there is an almost non-existent boundary to what is accepted on the internet. Most of the hateful memes I am referring to are those targeted towards women or LGBTQ+ individuals, where women are made fun of for simply existing and queer individuals are portrayed as ultra-liberal, intolerant sticklers for pronouns. Other recent ones I have seen display lots of casual racism, in this case towards Indians. In many comment sections and posts these days, I have seen many “memes” about the smell of Indians as people or how the country overall is a dumpster,and there are multiple of these comments on a video that has nothing to do with India itself. It can be a selfie or thirst trap video and the comment section is flooded with unrelated, hateful comments. However, these groups of people have come together and related to the discrimination they receive through these meme formats, and can even make memes related to the struggle they get as minorities.

Memes are funny, but can memes uphold stereotypes and biases already in place?

When Vine was still a prominent platform, there were a lot of stereotypical ideologies that were upheld by the type of humor that was used. I remember seeing a lot of videos of King Bach who was a very popular creator at the time, and after rewatching the compilations, a lot of what we were laughing at was literally racism. He would make jokes about Black people liking fried chicken, watermelon, etc.. and play roles where he would scare off white women because he was Black. To the public, this was made a joke and was normalized, which was more detrimental and added onto pre-existing stereotypes.

How can we use memes to forward important messages?

Younger generations can be extremely influenced by what they see, and since we cannot limit them from using the internet as many suggest, we might as well use memes as a tool to deliver more positive and important messages in a format they relate to. In a sense, memes and the internet can be used to better understand past, present, or future events, better understand topics and situations that are important now. In my past history class, I remember making memes of historical events for an assignment. In this way, I was able to connect a current form of communication to a past event to put it into a more digestible format. We are in a digital age, and we can always find ways to work with it rather than against it. I have seen a lot of ads that use meme formats to market towards certain groups of people, so if we find things that work for everyone, then memes could become a stronger communicator of public opinions and voice.

Links:

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#gsskittens #dank memes #Instagram #Youtube

blog post #2 - 9/12

How can technology oppress already marginalized groups?

In the weekly readings, we read about Nijeer Parks, a Black man from New Jersey who was wrongfully jailed for crimes he did not commit due to faulty AI face recognition used by law enforcement. Not shockingly, Nijeer was not the first or the last Black person to be mistaken for a criminal, and since his case in 2019, six other individuals were wrongfully accused of a crime. According to the ACLU, face recognition technology disproportionally misidentifies Black individuals and people of color in comparison to white people, and while the New Jersey police claimed to use this AI technology, the technology did not have access to government files like licences. This creates a question around what exact technologies are being used, or if facial recognition is being used as an excuse for plain old racial profiling. In a more recent case, Porcha Woodruff was arrested for carjacking while she was 8 months pregnant, due to faulty face recognition. There is a clear bias here whether it be intentional or not, and algorithms only replicate the systems already implemented by human patterns, most of which are rooted in oppression and racism. Automation bias refers to the overreliance on technology and its answers to human questions, which goes to show that this newer facial recognition technology has fueled ideas of racial profiling that have existed for a long time already. Additionally, the use of predictive policing technology has been shown to assign higher risk scores to individuals of color and Black people at an overwhelming rate, as discussed by Nicole Brown in the video “Race and Technology”. Most technology used by law enforcement is utilized in a way that perpetuates stereotypical assumptions, which only causes detriment to those groups who have already experienced lawful injustice due to race for centuries.

What forms of technology are taken over by algorithmic bias?

I would argue that almost ALL areas of technology are biased. Technology uses an insane amount of personal digital data in order to cater to every need or desire you may have. It is something we experience in everyday life since technology has been thoroughly intertwined with human activity, such as seeing an ad for something we were just talking about, or clicking “similar items” on shopping sites. Everything is monitored by digital security guards that collect and sell our information to enhance/improve the preexisting algorithm systems. Honestly, it disappoints me to know that law enforcement uses biased technology to make arrests, simply because algorithms are something I associated mostly with social media. When I still had TikTok, I remember seeing endless videos of Palestinians begging for aid through engagement on their pages, and later, seeing nothing in relation to Palestine at all. After a while, I learned that a lot of Palestinian creators were being shadowbanned and even using the word “Palestine” would take creators off the algorithm, even if they were popular creators

How does technology contribute to our access to news around the world, and how does our current government interfere?

In relation to the genocide in Palestine, social media and other technological platforms allow us to see first hand who is being oppressed by certain countries or authoritative powers. With computers, phones, and televisions, we are able to reach opposite sides of the world and even help us understand things about ourselves. Honestly, there was a lot I didn’t know about the US and the absurd amount of money used for military funding in Israel before the genocide in Palestine began. Honestly, there was even more I didn’t know about our alliances with other countries (maybe history classes failed me), and how strongly connected we are economically. These are all things I came to know on my own accord and out of doing extensive research, actually because what we learn about our own country is extremely policed and moderated by our own government. There is so much digital surveillance and political censorship these days and it is scary. In “Automating Inequality” by Eubanks, he mentions how police drones fly over political protests, something I experienced first hand. These drones potentially use biometric information to identify protestors, who are later penalized, such as having their visas and right to attend school revoked (later discussed). News and media conglomerates all tailor to the governments’ agenda of what is acceptable to say or not say, and can even spread disinformation. News reporters from several different channels recite the same script verbatim, which is incredible to think about who really directs all televised news and what goes on it (check link at end). Some news outlets purposefully distribute false or altered information to a targeted audience in order to persuade/place a collective thought among them. I believe being uneducated these days is extremely dangerous, especially in a country like this. The actual president, Donald Trump, spread a fake, AI generated video of Barack Obama being arrested in the White House, later shown in an orange jumpsuit in jail. This is a huge issue considering most older generations have questionable skills in digital literacy, so they can’t identify the difference between real and fake images/videos. If our own presidential administration can do that, I don’t question the government’s interference in our news.

How does our current government and president uphold the marginalization of certain groups?

As of recently, the Supreme court ruling Noem v Vasquez Perdomo quite literally enables the practice of racial profiling and makes it legal to stop or detain someone due to their appearance, place of work, and language spoken in the Los Angeles area. On the same day, ICE announced “Operation Midway Blitz”, an operation that targets “illegal aliens” who fled to Chicago, or Illinois in general. This continuous persecution of non-white individuals in this country is rooted in historical racism, and this is not the first time we even see mass deportations that looked almost exactly like this. During “Operation Wetback” in 1954, hundreds of thousands of Mexican immigrants were deported, regardless of their work permits through the US implemented Bracero Program.

Additionally, there is a lot of hypocrisy within our own country and while our president claims to hold the utmost American values, he ironically does the opposite. There has been a huge manipulation and restriction of freedoms the American people hold. Our first amendment right gives us freedom of speech, right to assemble, AND right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. However, when Trump entered the office, he revoked the visas of thousands of students who demonstrated a pro-Palestinian view at peaceful protests. Additionally, the recent death of Charlie Kirk has also been deemed as grounds for deportation and revoking visas. The US Deputy Secretary of States has stated that any foreigner who rationalizes, praises, or celebrates Kirk’s death will be dealt with by the US State Department. There is a clear hypocrisy in who is defended and who is demonized by the current presidential administration, and if you don’t align with their views, you are ostracized and targeted. Apparently, our nation-founding constitution means nothing nowadays.

Even when police heed warnings to take additional investigative steps, they exacerbate the unreliability of face recognition results.

#gsskittens #no kings #fuck trump #sorry not even remotely sorry #excuse my language

blog post #1 - 8/29

Last October, I had a bit of a night and lost my phone in the jetty rocks at the beach. While I value material items very little, what was most concerning to me were the amount of pictures and memories I had on that phone. What was even worse was that I had always had issues with my iCloud storage, even after I purchased more. At some point, I had so many pictures, I had to buy the highest option for additional storage. I trusted that with all that I had purchased, I would still have all my pictures safely tucked away in the iCloud realm.

The time comes around when I am finally able to activate another phone. It is my brother's old phone, one we hadn't used in a long time. At some point, Apple changed their SIM cards to electronic ones, so phones didn't need a physical chip anymore, which ended up being an additional struggle for us. I had tried to set up the new phone by myself and transfer my data from one phone to another. However, I had taken off the safety back-up number on my account, so if my account was locked out, I would only be able to access it with my own email. That proved to be a stupid decision considering two factor authentication, which I couldn't access because my phone was probably washed away into the ocean at this point. Since I couldn't do it on my own, I had to call my mobile carrier to help me move my SIM information to the device I was using.

When we finally got it to work, it turns out my brother's information was just overlapped onto mine, and I ended up seeing all his contacts and passwords. While my information was there too, I now had a bunch of old phone numbers I didn't even register myself. I went to check if his photos were still on there (with hesitance actually), but didn't find much besides pictures from the year prior, which were all mine. However, it came to my realization that the most recent pictures were from LAST year, and I know I had taken thousands of photos since then. I looked for videos of certain concerts I had gone to, but it was to no avail. My iCloud backup had not refreshed since February, and I lost it in October, meaning I had lost 8 months of my life in pictures. As a photographer, the meaning pictures have to me are so profound, and it took me a long time to let go of all that I had on my phone. So much for the extra storage. I had technical difficulties all around, and still didn’t get my pictures back.

#bummer.

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