From flirting to sex reassignment: adolescents’ alternative practices of self-presentation on VKontakte social media website

Abstract

The paper considers the problems of construction of alternative self-representations in adolescence using a Vkontakte website case study. Special attention is paid to types of alternative self-representations of adolescents and factors that contribute to that. The study is based on the data of in-depth interviews (N = 96) analyzed with Atlas. ti software. Goals, tools and audience for each type of alternative self-representation are identified. A social portrait of the adolescent who constructs his/her alternative self-representation on the Vkontakte website is provided. The following aspects correlate with the type of alternative self-representation: (a) relationships with parents; (b) social networking safety literacy; (c) ways to construct virtual self-presentation; (d) need for self-presentation, and (i) ability of self-reflection. The author makes an assumption that the type of virtual self-presentation of adolescents who have problems with gender and sex identity is strongly shaped by technological features of the Vkontakte website (heterosexual matrix).