Conference Name: 2024 International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2024)

Title: Exploring self-presentation of Chinese lesbians on social platforms: Impacts and challenges in contemporary China

Abstract: While homosexuality is gaining more attention in Chinese society, lesbians remain marginalized. The rapid growth of social platforms has provided Chinese lesbians with a more personal avenue for self-presentation. Based on this background, this paper raises the following core questions: What are the forms of self-presentation of Chinese lesbians on social platforms? How will the self-presentation of Chinese lesbians on social platforms affect the situation of lesbians and even Chinese women? This paper adopts textual analysis to analyze the lesbians’ self-presentation on three important Chinese social platforms: Bilibili, Weibo, and Red. Through the research of this paper, it is found that social media provide a platform for Chinese lesbians to realize their self-identity, share experiences of sexual minorities, and discuss social life. The self-presentation offers opportunities for Chinese lesbians to advance in media and feminism, while also posing challenges to their internal cohesion and external social communication. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on the relationship between Chinese lesbians and social media, offering perspectives that are crucial in the marginalized online media situation of Chinese lesbians.