Digital Platforms as Equivocal Health Promotion: Examining the Mental Health of 2SLGBTQ+ People Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

2SLGBTQ+ people often depend on digital platforms, including social media, to connect with members of their community and curate support networks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had devastating mental health impacts on marginalized populations. Unfortunately, these same platforms are often engulfed with homophobia and transphobic rhetoric and high rates of online violence targeted at 2SLGBTQ+ communities. To shed light on how digital platforms can help and/or hinder 2SLGBTQ+ people’s mental health, we conducted a mixed-methods survey to examine mental health outcomes among 2SLGBTQ+ people in Nova Scotia, Canada, who have used digital platforms during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Health Equity Promotion Model was applied to analyze survey data collected from 119 participants and uncover how intersecting individual, structural, and technological factors and affordances impact 2SLGBTQ+ people’s mental health. Our findings reflect the diversity and fluidity of 2SLGBTQ+ people’s mental health experiences that cannot be viewed through a positivistic lens. We discuss the ethical implications of digital platforms and their mental health effects on marginalized populations and the importance of conducting intersectional research, and we conclude with recommendations to support2SLGBTQ+ people’s mental health.