Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Inter-Sane
This article from the New York Times, "Lonely Gay Teen Seeking Same" by Jennifer Egan quotes what a young boy Jeffery thinks about the internet.
"The Internet is the thing that has kept me sane," he told me. "I live constantly in fear. I can't be my true self. My mom complains: 'I can see you becoming more detached from us. You're always spending time on the computer.' But the Internet is my refuge."
Living as a young gay teen he is constantly haunted by his lifestyle and by what society thinks of him. He is scared to come out with his sexual orientation and is hiding behind the internet. He like many other young teens use the internet as a sheild protecting them from the real world. He feels free when he goes online, he feels that he can be himself.
Later in the article she quotes
"Online boyfriends and girlfriends were common among the gay teenagers I spoke with. In some cases, the relationships had a sexual component, but what startled me was the level of closeness and intimacy teenagers derived from these cyberrelationships."
Showing how many teenager (especially gay teenagers)because of their insecurities develope online relationships that tend to even become serious. They often even talk about marriage and adopting kids without even meeting face to face. It was the sense of security without judgement from those around them that make them feel comfortable about being free online.
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A good post.
Online freedom to create a new identity, a new sexual orientation. A freedom that has its dangers as well as support for differences that would otherwise be unacceptable.
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Online freedom to create a new identity, a new sexual orientation. A freedom that has its dangers as well as support for differences that would otherwise be unacceptable.
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