For this assignment, I decided to focus on the research question: How do LGBTQ+ individuals in Grenada navigate the complexities of digital identity and privacy within a socially conservative context.
Introduction
Like many other Caribbean nations and especially former British colonies, Grenada has a history of conservative attitudes to persons who identify at LGBTQ. This is influenced either by religious beliefs, cultural norms or a combination of the two. This leads to widespread stigma and discrimination of persons in the community and affects their lives both offline and online as it becomes difficult to express their true identities openly. This adds complexity in the way they manage their digital identities and privacy online.
Historical context
Often referred to as a Christian nation, Grenada’s legal framework leans toward a conservative approach on matters involving LGBT Grenadians. The constitution does not provide protections against discrimination of LGBT persons based on their sexual identity and it also criminalizes sexual expression between men. This lack of protection contributes to the fear and secrecy of the community and drives persons to craft their digital identity.
Research importance
Research in this area focusing on Grenada is very limited and so, the first importance of doing research in this area is to establish a foundation for understanding and addressing the issue and hopefully reduce the stigma and fear others may have in addressing same. Documenting these experiences creates an avenue for open discussions on LGBT rights and identities. Additionally, it is essential to address the role technology plays in shaping digital identities as this will provide insights into how LGBT persons protect and safeguard their anonymity and security online.
I enjoyed learning about the research process, the various methods that can be used to complete research and how everything (data, variables, research methods) combine to form a complete system of research. For this particular topic, I deduced that the Qualitative research method would work best as tools like interviews, participant observations and content analysis can provide the insight needed to answer the research question chosen.
This study aligns with several Sustainability Development Goals namely:
Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: This SDG focuses on crafting laws and legislations for protecting persons and their right to equal representation under the law as well as creating institutions that will implement and uphold these legal systems.
Goal 3: Good health and well-being: LGBT persons in Grenada often face many challenges as they are forced to deal with discrimination, rejection from friends and family and lack of protections from the legal systems.
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities: Similarly to Goal 3, this SDG focuses on reducing the inequality faced by persons and naturally this applies to LGBTQ Grenadians.
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